


Fractured fall

by Cesela



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Angel Wings, Angst and Feels, Heist, M/M, Pandora - Freeform, Shinichi is an angel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-05 17:08:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 37,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13392384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cesela/pseuds/Cesela
Summary: As an Angel of Death, Shinichi has walked the earth for centuries without taking any interest in the mortal world. Until the spontaneous decision of saving a child’s life changes everything. Kaito x Shinichi





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is for Shrio-nii, who started a movement of Wing!au’s on the kaishin discord server with her amazing art. I have been given the green light of using the drawing that inspired me to write this. 
> 
> The story will have 3 or 4 chapters, depending on the length. 
> 
> This story is unbeated, I apologize for all writing mistakes as I’m not a native English speaker.
> 
> Wordcount: 8462
> 
> Published: 16.01.2018

 

 

 

The room was dark but for the crackling of fire that danced across the walls. The front seats of the audience room were already ablaze as the upholstery had no resistance against the heat. In a corner, the black drapery would soon turn to ashes. Despite the flames, the room was quiet but for the sizzling of fire and an alarm beeping in the distance.

The podium located in the front laid low to the ground in order to make spectators feel more included in the show. The room was not particularly large, instead it charming with an elegant touch concentrated on comfort. Now whoever, the stage was scorched with flames.

Standing between the rows of seats, Shinichi stood in silence as he watched the flickering lights with a stoic expression. He had seen worse sights in his life time, and he doubted it would be the last. Neither the smoke nor the heat bothered him as it slowly creeped forwards to his locale. A shiver ran down his wingspan and his feathers ruffled in urgency as a soul cried out in pain from within the flames surrounding the podium.

It was more a feeling then an actual sound, and the despair made his feet move forwards automatically and he passed through the space without any hindrance from physical objects. Almost as though the fire was sentient and could sense him, they parted as he stepped on the stage. Even for him, the flickering light source was slightly too bright, and he lifted a hand to shade his eyes as he tried to make out shapes. On his right was a large wooden box – the colour undistinguishable and would soon not matter – some forms he could not make out as they were but ashes by his feet. Finally, his eyes settled on a large figurine laying on the floor.

Approaching, Shinichi quickly removed one of his white gloves with his teeth before leaning over. It was hard to make out any distinguishable traits, as the person’s flesh was already red and boiling from the heat, and parts of his clothing – he was wearing what seemed to have once been a white suit, however was now covered with greyish ash – was being eaten up by fire.

Only the erratically shimmering of a soul gave any indication of life, and a feeling of regret crept into Shinichi’s chest as he realized his tardiness had caused unnecessary pain for the deceased. As an angel of death – for there was many – he was drawn to locations of demise however unconsciously. It was his duty to send the dead to the afterlife.

Reaching out, he let his fingertips brush softly against the red bruising on the man’s chin. For a moment the insides of his eyelids brighten up until they were blinding. He felt the rush of a lifetime as the soul quivered in his presence – he could sense joy and laughter from a life lived, there was an image of a woman and a child he assumed to be the man’s family.

Shinichi only let himself drift in the memories for a brief moment, before he pushed them out of his head – seeing a soul’s last thoughts could be considered a breach of privacy, and he had more often than not seen things he wished he had not. The soul glowed brightly, almost a yellow-white as it departed the body. It had no shape, rather was just a ball of energy. It floated towards the ceiling before stopping as though hesitating.

Feeling a bubble of confusion in his chest, Shinichi stood slowly, not having experienced hesitation in the last moments as an angel’s touch brought only peace. An alien emotion suddenly drifted across his consciousness, and as the soul disappeared, he could sense regret and fear, followed by the foreshadowing echo of:

_“My son.”_

The feathers on his wings suddenly quivered, and he let the wingspan out in surprise as he automatically turned to his left. He could not sense death – as the feeling came more in the form of his feathers itching till he fulfilled his duty. Through the fire, he could now see a large aquarium as the flame had settled in the location. Feeling almost out of breath, he approached as something hammered in his chest – it should not be a possible action as he had no mortal body. Simply just a creature of energy stuffed into an empty shell.

Coming up to the glass, he slowly looked inside. Only to come to a stop in surprised as he spotted a small child cowering in a corner in the hall full tank. His dark hair was plastered to his scalp from the water reaching to is elbows where he crouched with his feet against his chest and arms tightened around them. As he spotted Shinichi, his eyes widened in surprise, and the erratically breathing echoed in the angel’s ears almost deafeningly.

The boy’s eyes seemed to look almost purple where the light reflected off the water. He suddenly stiffened and flinched as one of the large koi fishes in the water brushed against his elbow, and a small whimper escaped his lips.

Shinichi felt at a loss as he withdrew his wings until they laid comfortably by his side. His feathers had stopped quivering, so it was clearly that the boy was not about to die any time soon. It seemed as though his father had saved the boy from the flames, hoping that the water in the aquarium would keep him save until rescue would arrive.

From the sounds from outside, it seemed as though the firefighters had not yet arrived at the scene. The angel was not entirely sure what to do – he could leave and hope someone rescued the boy in time, or watch and reap his soul once he eventually expired. Neither options felt ideal – usually he would not arrive to a scene or even know the victim before it was already too late.

“Are you here to save us? Is my dad alright?”

A cold jolt went through Shinichi’s body as he flinched backwards in surprise – the child could see him? From the way his eyes followed the angel’s movement, he was sure it was the case. But how was that possible? He was sure he was not corporal to human eyes. Squinting for a moment, he decided it probably had something to do with the boy being so close to death.

“I’m sorry,” he started before stopping himself, unsure what the protocol for such a situation was. He did not get a chance to decide his actions, as the boy suddenly doubled over with a violent cough. Something snapped in Shinichi’s chest, as he suddenly, and without realizing it, grabbed the boy as he slowly lifted him up from the aquarium – a part of him knew in hindsight that he was meddling with things that was forbidden. But right there and then, he could not walk away from a dying child.

The boy squirmed in his arms for a second, before settling with his head against Shinichi’s chest, and a hand clutching the midnight-blue fabric of his coat. The angel froze in surprise, for a moment he thought he could feel the boy’s heart fluttering against him and the breath on his shoulder blade. The small soul brightened as to greet him, but not blindingly as the echo of merry laughter washed over him and made the tips of his wings tingle pleasantly.

The feeling was gone a second later as the soul dimmed, and he was sure he had imagined most of that. The sense of touch was barely possible to experience for an angel.

Almost on their own accord, his wings moved protectively around the bundle in his arms as he started to walk slowly to the entrance – long since given in to the urge to save the child. He almost tripped once as something brushed against his feathers, sending an electric chill through him. With wide eyes he glanced down at the boy who was staring at his wings with fascination glittering in his eyes. _He could even see the wings?_

The child wrapped his hand carefully around the black feather as though it was fragile. “Are you an angel?” he whispered, his voice thick with drowsiness as the eyes dipped down slowly.

Shinichi swallowed thickly – even though he did not have any physical need to. “I am, now sleep my child. Tomorrow comes with more hardship.”

The hand slowly uncurled from the feather as it fell down, and tired eyes gazed at him as the boy nodded once before his eyes closed shut. Only then did Shinichi notice that he had stopped shivering. Deciding not to dwell on it, he finally left the building and sat the boy down slowly in the adjacent street. He reached out one last time to brush the boy’s hair from his temple.

Only then did he realize he had forgotten to reapply his white glove, and before he could withdraw his hand, he thought he could feel their souls respond to each other’s presence as a surge of peace and belonging settled across his wingspan. It had been an odd day, and the least he could do was give the boy a peaceful rest.

 Standing, he moved away a few steps, hoping someone would notice the sleeping child – after going as far as to save him, it would be a tragedy to let him get sick from the cold.

He could not help the tight feeling in his chest at his actions and the sudden protectiveness – he had acted foolishly and was sure to be reprimanded by his superiors once he returned to the heavenly host. But at this moment, as he watched the boy’s chest fall one last time and his gloveless hand clutched against his chest, he could not find it himself to regret it.

…

Shinichi never expected to meet the boy again as the years passed quickly and barely without his notice. As an angel, time was but a mere nuisance as he continued reaping souls and witnessing more death then any man would in their life time. He remembered them all: every death and every soul’s unique vibration as he gently helped them free from their decaying shell.

He spotted the boy quite by accident as he felt the call of death itching in his wings as he stepped into the cabin. The snow was quietly falling outside innocently, almost as though it was expecting nothing out of the ordinary. A mismatched group of friends of all ages and genders stood in the hallway chatting amicably.

Two young girls barely in their late teens had just arrived, as evident by their still moist jackets, and was greeted with friendly banter. Shinichi’s eyes had originally only swiped his eyes over the display in uninterest, wondering why he could sense death. It was only when a familiar soul blossomed in greeting that he stiffened in surprise. Once again merry laughter washed over him as something deep within him surged to answer the call. His whole body almost snapped to the side in his hurry to find the source of the accumulating feelings as his wings whipped behind him almost awkwardly.

The sight that met him was that of a slightly obese young man in his early twenties with short black hair and a kind smile. His eyes were dark blue hinting on hazel rather than the purply colour Shinichi remembered from the past. As the angel’s eye settled on the form, the young man stiffened for a moment as his eyes darted in Shinichi’s direction almost as though he had been spotted, and for a moment the angel froze with dread – wondering if he could still be seen without being corporal.

However, it seemed as though he were in luck, as no recognition showed in his eyes to indicate he had been seen.

“Doito-kun?” one of the teenage girls with long, dark hair asked as she leaned forward to catch his attention with a friendly expression. “You said you were studying to become a medical doctor right?”

Shinichi relaxed once more, suddenly feeling a wave of relief. He had wondered what had happened to the child after he had left him – and hearing he was already studying an impressive field eased the worries that the experience had done irreversible damages to his peace of mind. Knowing he had moved forward in his life felt like a closure to the angel.

For a brief moment he felt a wave of confusion, if Doito was already in medical school, then more time had passed then Shinichi had been mentally aware off – something which was worrying, he did not like the idea of losing his sense of passing of time – or the man had jumped over a few classes. He had presumed the boy to be around 8 years old, but now Doito seemed to be in his early twenties at most.

He mulled over these thoughts in silence as he watched the group do a quick magic trick to determine who got which chores for the weekend. However, the angel did not pay much attention as his eyes were glued on the form of Doito. The boy had changed a lot in the years that had passed, and Shinichi would not had recognized him had it not been the greeting as though his soul had sensed his presence.

Curling his fists together slightly, he wondered if it had something to do with the accidental connection he had made touching Doito without his gloves. He tried to remember previous occasions where it had happened, but could not come up with a case. It was a worrying fact, and he did not want to get in even more trouble than he already was. He had a brief window where he could leave and request someone else to reap the soul of whoever would die – but he shook the thought away as quickly as it came. If Doito was the one to die – and he loathed the idea, but at least he had lived a few years longer than he should – he owed the boy to do it himself.

Shinichi was still following Doito when a scream echoed through the house, and unbidden relief flooded through him as he followed the medical student out of the house and towards the direction of the deceased Hamano Toshiya. The soul was a vibrant light blue that cast shadows across the snow to his sight. Hamano laid on his back with mouth and eyes wide open as the brightly lit star sky above glittered above.

Shinichi removed his gloves as he approached – his feet feather light across the snow and he made no footsteps from the lack of a corporal body. The soul cried out in pain and horror, which sent a shiver down the angel’s wingspan – the fear and discomfort of confusion upon death was what drove the angels of death to reap souls. Otherwise the feeling would torment them.

He fell down on his knees as he reached the corpse and reached out to brush his fingertips across the man’s cheeks – and not for the first time Shinichi wished he could feel the body heat of the living just to experience it once. The soul settled immediately as the blue colour shimmered over to a peaceful yellow as he experienced all the good parts of his life – and the angel felt the familiar happy laughter that usually accompanied it. However, a feeling of sad regret rippled across the soul and gave Shinichi a bad taste in his mouth before it shimmered out of view.

For a brief moment, he was stuck with the urge to wash his mouth. He recognized the feeling – had felt it countless of times before in regard to regretting crimes. Hamano Toshiya had been the cause of someone else’s death, and in the last moment of his life, he had regretted it deeply.

“Don’t get closer, this is a crime scene.”

Doito’s words snapped him out of his thoughts as the medical student warned the rest from approaching. From his companion’s questioning look, he explained that the only tracks across the snow belonged to him – the evidence of anyone else walking, and the footsteps of Hamano Toshiya was missing entirely.

Shinichi only realized the same then, having been too occupied with the calling soul to notice. He could not supress the waver of admiration from how Daito took over with a firm but friendly grip as he herded them inside. He watched them leave as he stood over the now-empty-shell of what had housed Hamano Toshiya soul. His wings spread out and his coat swaying ever so slightly from the wind.

He should leave now, he knew – his mission here had been accomplished. However, a part of him was reluctant to leave even as the angel feathers quivered. Only hesitating for a moment, he started back into the house – telling himself firmly that it was fine as long as he could not feel death calling him to a new location.

He followed Doito and his companions around as they investigated the house for clues of the culprit after someone had nearly been shot with an arrow. As he watched, he felt a pressure building up in his stomach with what could only be called anticipation, and something itched in his mind until he suddenly realized he knew who the culprit was and what trick had been performed.

As an Angel of death, he had seen many things over the course of centuries, and always he had been a passive bystander as he watched death come in many forms. However, this time was different somehow, this time he itched with the urge to solve the crime – to not just be an angel of death, but rather an angel of justice. The excitement ruffling through his feathers was unlike anything he had ever felt before, and he urged to reach out and tell someone.

He knew interaction with humans were frowned upon, and revealing himself would come with more repercussions then he could imagine. A part of him wondered if anyone would care if he sent the idea to one of the bystanders as though he or she had solved it on their own – no one would ever know, surely?

The one forbidden rule he had as an angel was to never intervene in faith – if a person was supposed to die, his whole purpose of existence was to make sure it happened. But now, he felt no death call itching in the vicinity, meddling just this once would not break the rule.

The unbidden logic now growing and pulsating in his mind, he could no longer supress the urge as he reached out to one of the young teens – Sonoko was her name if he remembered correctly. He brushed his fingers against her hand, making sure he was wearing his gloves as he did, almost immediately she stiffened before sagging to the ground.

For a moment, Shinichi was stunned with guilt, believing he had miscalculated, and the touch of an angel, even with cloth between their skin, was too much for the mortal to handle as her friend came to her rescue.

“Sonoko? What’s wrong,” she pleaded with a worried expression, her hands shaking slightly as she reached out “please wake up.”

His concern did not last long, as Sonoko suddenly spoke up with a strong voice. “You are the one who should wake up, Ran.”

Shinichi withdrew from the scene as Sonoko instructed Ran to take the crossbow to Hamano’s room, and he watched in silence as the trick was performed effortlessly as Doito helped with the firing of the bow, and the culprit was revealed. He felt satisfied in a way he had not felt since he saved the boy from the fire years prior.

Almost on their own accord, his feet took him back inside the mansion, and up the stairs to the room Doito and Ran was. Part of him wanted to see the man just one more time before leaving – knowing full well it would be the last time they would ever meet. And he felt slightly guilty again over bending the rules in such a way.

Arriving to the scene, he paused in the doorway as Doito had disappeared. In his place, by the windowsill with a cape fluttering in the wind, stood a figure clad in white and wearing a top-hat. Had it not been for the warmth greet of the soul, Shinichi would not have guessed it to be the same person.

If the angel had a physical stomach, he was sure it would drop in surprise. Doito was no longer an overweight man in his early-twenties. Neither was his hair short and black. Almost as though the stranger had noticed his presence, he turned his face to the side to face the intruder. Shinichi felt frozen to the floor as he recognized the face this time – his features were leaner now that he had grown out of his baby-fat, with a strong jawline and a sharp nose. His hair still dark brown and an unruly mess.

But it was the eyes that caught him – eyes that seemed light purple from the bright moonlight that gleamed through the window. They stood there in silence for many seconds – Shinichi wondering slightly if the impossible had happened once again and he had been spotted, and something fluttered inside of him. It was an impossible and incomprehensible feeling, like his soul was pulsating.

The tension suddenly vanished as the figure in white turned towards the window once more, and as he watched, the fluttering cape turned into a paraglider as he jumped through the window. Shinichi could not stop himself as he followed to the terrace, watching the enigma of the boy disappearing in the distance.

From the treeline he picked up a name as someone called: “ _is that Kaitou KID?”_

Confused astonishment wavered through him with the knowledge that for once, he had been surprised about something a mortal had done. He had never felt such an overwhelming mixture of feelings and urges in his entire existence, and for the last moment he stood there in the mortal realm, part of him thought almost wistfully that he hoped to see him again. However illogical the desire was.

…

Shinichi got his wish as he kept encounter the man known only as _Kaitou KID_. Occasionally death would accompany KID’s heists where culprits tried to accuse him of murder. The angel learned that KID was an international jewel thief who always gave back the gemstones he stole – it seemed as though he was searching for a specific stone.

Shinichi could not help the feeling of thrill raking through his feathers whenever he encountered KID on a heist, even as he only watched in silence as he solved the riddles by himself. He would follow the thief in his footsteps as a quiet shadow, and as the weeks turned into months, a part of him urged to reach out and be acknowledged.

It had never been an impulse he had felt in the past – had never really cared about the coming and going of mortals. After seeing a million sunsets and dawns, the novelty of life loses its meaning, but _Kaitou KID_ fuelled his curiosity with his youthful and mirthful soul that never seemed to be shadowed by maturity and age. His soul was almost identical with the one the angel had encountered when he had been a mere boy.

…

The full-moon shone across the rooftop, basking it in shadows and white light, and the late autumn breeze made Shinichi’s clothes and wings quiver from the strength. He could not feel the cold – not sure whether or not he was thankfully for being incapable of perceiving the senses, all the while a part of him curious what biting cold would feel like against bare skin.

Across him on the rooftop facing the city, was the familiar white figure of Kaitou KID. Admittingly, Shinichi had cheated, the murder had happened a few blocks down the road, and after completing his assignment, he had not been able to ignore the impulse to watch the heist in his usual manner. He still had not discovered KID’s true identity, and he was sure if he followed the teen – for he was a teenager now, and not a boy – he could find out if he truly desired it.

KID had his back to him, and in the way the cape was fluttering sharply in the wind, Shinichi was sure the thief was cold. With one hand, he held his hat firmly to his head so as not to lose it if another sharp gust tried to steal it, his freehand was holding the gem towards the moon.

The reason behind the action was lost to Shinichi, as he had seen KID do the ritual many times before. Today’s heist had been especially thrilling, as the soul had greeted him with an impish glow before disappearing altogether, leaving the angel to chase and discover KID’s identity without the cheat-trick. In the year since they had met anew in the Magician’s retreat, Kaitou KID’s soul had become almost as a familiar friend, and his soul seemed to greet him back on its own – the reason behind it he did not know, however he did not desire to discover the reason behind the odd occurrence in case it would stop.

“Are you a detective?”

As KID’s voice rang out across the rooftop, Shinichi froze in surprise. He had not realized anyone else had joined them, and he looked around in curiosity to discover the identity of whom had also solved the thief’s riddles – perhaps it was the British detective again, Hakuba Saguru. However, he could not see anyone from his locale.

Almost as though he had sensed Shinichi’s befuddlement, KID turned around to face him, letting his arms fall as he stuffed his hands in his pocket. “Yes, I’m talking to you,” he drawled out in what sounded like an eyeroll.

The angel blinked in surprise as his feathers started to quiver in excitement, and he almost reached out to quiet the response, if the motion would not look odd to the mortal. He almost squawked out a confused ‘ _you can see me?_ ’ but reeled in his tongue before the words could escape. Taking a breath he did not need, he calmed his nerves as he took stock at the situation.

Kaitou KID could clearly see him somehow, but he could not feel the calling of death beckoning, so the thief was not near death – and it could not be a side effect of them touching as a child, as he had never shown any signs that he could see the angel before. And if he could – the first question out of his mouth would have been an inquiry about his wings, rather than a possible profession.

His second theory seemed more probable, that his longing to be noticed had accidently resulted to him unconsciously appearing corporal to a mortal – and he tried not to wince at the realization that he had once again broken protocol for the sake of the boy he had saved on a whim.

It seemed Shinichi spent too long mulling over the possibility, that Kaitou KID assumed he was not going to answer as he continued. “It’s not a farfetched theory, seeing as you are the only one who solved my riddle,” he paused as he reached out to grab the tip of his head – and Shinichi was not entirely sure whether it was due to the sharp wind or to hide his eyes.

“It’s alright, _detective_ ,” KID practically purred with his lips quirking upwards in impudence, “you can admit it. No one is going to judge you for your life choices.”

The angel was at loss of words at the exchange – he had not expected to be seen, neither for the friendly tone that had crept into KID’s voice. He had seen the thief tease his other adversaries, but with a miniscule expression of cautiousness – and occasionally distrust. But now, however, in this instance, Shinichi had observed him long enough to know there were no such hostility towards a mere stranger.

Whether or not KID was aware of it, he could not tell, however he had the feeling the thief’s soul unconsciously trusted him as it glowered in almost a dance across his skin in playful greeting.

“You are not very talkative, are you,” Kaitou KID sighed deeply with a disappointed tone, “why am I only pursued by the boring, non-challenging ones. I mean, is it too much to ask for a classical banter between criminal and detective like in all the books?”

“Life is rarely as fiction depicts it,” Shinichi suddenly spoke before he could stop himself, his voice melodious despite how unused he was to speaking with human tongues.

The thief’s lips curled upwards as he finally got a respond, “so you can speak? I was afraid you were mute for a brief moment there –“

“You are making a lot of assumptions based purely on observations,” he cut him off, his chest feeling a little heavy as he continued with his lips twitching upwards on their own accord. “And here I thought you despised critics.”

KID’s mouth clacked shut, and for a brief moment he only stared at Shinichi from underneath the shadows of his hat as the charm on his monocle brushed against his cheek. The angel could not read the expression on his features, being far too unused to human emotions to comprehend it with certainty.

“You are right,” the thief’s lips stretched out in an amused grin, “apologies, it seemed I’ve had bad influence lately. Forgive me, would you?” as he finished the sentence, he suddenly threw the gemstone he had stolen in Shinichi’s direction.

The angel only had a split second before he stumbled forwards trying to catch it before it fell on the ground. He had not expected the sudden action, and as he looked up with a befuddled expression, KID was already gone. His wings stretched out in the sudden urgency to chase after as a shiver of unbidden excitement jolted through him.

He had been seen, he had hold an actual conversation with a mortal – something which wasn’t allowed, but he had done it nonetheless. He could not feel a shred of guilt at the thrill of not just standing on the side watching and observing the world. Reeling in his excitement, he reached out to brush his fingers across the dark feathers to in order to calm down.

“Where is he? Where is KID!” Inspector Nakamori Ginzo trampled through the door, letting the door smack hard against the concrete surface of the wall. His face was slightly red from high blood pressure caused by activity and shouting furiously. His eyes zeroed in on the only figure on the rooftop, and Shinichi had no time to even flinch as the inspector suddenly towered over him ominously.

“Did you see where the damn thief went?”

Before Shinichi could even utter a single syllable, the gemstone in his hand was ripped from his grasp, and Nakamori turned around to roar at his subordinates. “Find him, he can’t be far,” he turned his face towards Shinichi, and his expression softened for a brief second as he realized he had been rude.

“Sorry, thanks for getting the stone back from KID –“ he froze as his gaze bore into something beyond the angel’s shoulder, and his expression twisted into excitement as he most likely spotted the thief’s flight. “I see him! He’s flying north-west towards Beika. Let’s go.”

Almost as soon as he had arrived, he was gone, and Shinichi was left with a confusion bubbling in his chest. Not only had Kaitou KID seen him, but so had Nakamori? He knew that the exhilaration he felt from the tip of his toes, to the end of his wingspan was wrong, however he could not subdue the emotion.

…

By human definition, the existence of Angels where one filled with lonesome solitude. The angels watched as mortals lived their life to the fullest – but humans could not see them. Sigmund Freud once said: ‘the goal of all life is death’. When the possibility of dying is a constant, imminent threat, humans try to do as much as they can in their life time. Their world filled with so much chatter and activity with the whispering knowledge of:

_‘I can count on my fingers the number of sunsets I have left, and I don't intend to miss any of them.’_

Shinichi could not remember his first sunset – nor his first thousand. With the threat of ceasing to exist non-existent, life become almost hollow-like – although he was not entirely sure whether is existence could be considered a life. He was not human, rather he was a formless being existing only due to thought and memory contained in form of energy. He was mimicking humanity – they all where, telling themselves it was in order to better interact with the animate world and not scaring the souls they helped to depart their mortal coil.

Only the wings were evident of their difference, these bodies could not contain the vastness of their being. In the upper levels of heaven, they were all beings who were larger than life, and when forming a hollow shell to step into the mortal world, their energy turned solid into something resembling wings to guide them.

These thoughts buzzed through Shinichi’s head as he watched the redness of dawn spread across the horizon, and the whisper of the ocean in his hears. For a moment, he wondered if maybe there was another reason Angels mimicked humans. Perhaps it was jealousy – the envy of never having a solid body that could sense the warmth of the morning sun against your cheek, nor the feeling of sand underneath your toes.

Shinichi had never considered the desire before, had never cared to indulge in the impossible thoughts. However, in the recent events of the last couple of months, he could no longer ignore the burning curiosity. He had been seen by Kaitou KID and Nakamori – and although angels could reveal themselves to humans, it was a practice which was frowned upon. They simple never had had a reason to – and only happened a handful of times since the beginning of time. As an angel of death, Shinichi had even less reasons to communicate with the living – his purpose was to guide the dead after all.

His thinking was suddenly interrupted as a police officer walked through him: the feeling itself only a shivering through his wings, and he stepped back towards the shadows of a large rock behind him. The sounds from the crime scenes increased in volume as his concentration snapped back.

The deceased was a young woman in her early twenties who had been discovered between some rocks a mere hour earlier. Shinichi had been watching her body from the rocky shores waiting for the early tide to bring her closer. The soul had been let out a small, trembling presence, and he was unsure how long she had spent in the freezing water before succumbing to death. He had been elsewhere on a different job when he had felt the itching of his feathers as death called him – and he could not have left earlier.

He both felt guilty for leaving her out there, and confused as to why no one else had heeded the call. Once he had released the soul and watched it ascend, he had decided to wait for the body to be discovered as an apology. No other deaths had been calling for him.

“She was murdered,” someone proclaimed, his voice unwavering it is conviction. Shinichi’s eyes followed to take stock of the owner. He seemed to be a teen with dark skin, dark hair, green eyes and wore a baseball cap. His nose seemed to have been broken once, and then left to its imperfections – somehow, it made his face look aesthetically handsome from its flaws.

There was a murmured agreeing between the surrounding detectives. Shinichi should have left at that, content that he had fulfilled his promise to the soul. Instead, he spoke up, his voice merely a whisper in the air, not intending to be heard by mortal ears.

“It was an accident.”

Almost immediately after the words were out, the teen turned around like a hawk as his glittering green eyes drilled into the angel’s with a befuddled expression. A moment of uncertainty flickered across his face as he took stock of the situation, mentally asking himself how he had not noticed Shinichi before. Whatever conclusion he came to, the angel didn’t know, as his face stiffened a moment later.   

“Come off it, she was clearly murdered,” his hand shot out to point in the direction of the deceased woman. “The victim has bruises around her throat, and claw marks on her own skin to indicate trying to relieve pressure around her throat. It’s clear she was suffocated before thrown overboard.”

Shinichi’s eyes settled on the woman – it was as the teen described. Ugly blue bruises around her throat and neck indicated he was correct. However, Shinichi had sat there for a while watching the inanimate body – she had a pretty and delicate face, almost that of a doll even as her lips had turned blue from the cold. She wore a yellow summer dress that reached her knees. Her left shoe was missing.

“It was an accident,” Shinichi repeated, having nothing else to say – part of him mulling how he had unconsciously turned corporal yet again in a short amount of time. The sudden desire to prove the teen wrong had arisen unbiddenly.

It seemed to have been the wrong thing to insist in, as the teen’s chest almost ruffled in defiance. The hostility directed towards him sent a quiver across his wingspan, and he had to stifle the urge to spread them in a natural defence mechanism against threats to appear larger.

“Listen, new guy,” the anger was barely contained under the arrogance of his voice. This was a person who was used to being the smartest in the room and always being correct. “No need to show off, alright? I’m a detective with a thousand cases under my belt. I know what I’m doing, if not I wouldn’t be ‘ _Hattori Heiji_.’ So don’t make a fool of yourself.”

Shinichi watched him with a calm expression, not letting the Hattori’s words waver his belief. He had seen more death than this mortal could ever perceive, he should not argue back, simply take his cue to leave. However, as the thoughts shimmered across mind and he turned to leave, he could not help but to call out:

“I’m right. You’ll see.”

…

The night sky looked different to humans, he had been told. To them, the night was filled with a dark void of nothingness, and in between the nothingness were orbs of light. Night in general was filled with indistinguishable shadows due from the lack of illumination. Shinichi wondered, not for the first time, how narrow the humans scope of colours were.

To him, the night sky was a disarray of movement and colours– like a painting of Van Gogh. Perhaps it was due to his vision being able to see through to the other realms of existence. And what mortals referred to as the shadows of night, were just as visible to him as daylight, however the shades different colours. In one way, he supposed, his eyesight resembled that of a cat rather than human.

His musing was interrupted as an itching shivered across his feathers and his soul responded to the death calling for him between the dense trees. For a brief moment, he was tempted to fly above the forest, rather than the tedious walk past the vegetation with wings. In the end, logic squelched the desire, he was not guaranteed to be able to see the soul from the air – and the trees were not an issue when he could simply glide through the mortal plane without brushing against any solid objects.

Without complaint or sigh he started his trek – having done this countless times before, and it was not becomingly for an angel to protest. Rather, the idea of striking on the job was not even in the angelic language.

Shinichi eventually came to a clearing. The vegetation seemed almost emerald green to his sight as the moon shone through the treetops. A few flowers were still in bloom despite it being late autumn, and the stump of a once large and magnificent tree sat in the middle of the clearing. The vibration of a soul shimmered behind it, and the angel moved towards it.

Only to come to an abrupt stop in surprise.

Kneeling next to the body was a figurine clad in white. A top-hat laid nestled forgotten in the grass. Kaitou KID moved as he leaned down to continued trying to resuscitate the deceased by sharing his breath and pressing his palms against her ribcage.

Shinichi could do nothing but to stare at the view with a befuddled curiosity – unsure as to how to proceed. He could still feel death shivering across his wingspan as it pushed him forwards to the soul in need. Licking his lips – a movement he had often seen humans do when indecisive. He suddenly understood with clarity why it was a common habit, as it settled his nerves slightly.

“It’s too late, she’s gone.”

Kaitou KID almost jumped, and he glanced up at the angel with wide eyes. There was something wild in his expression, and a streak of blood was smeared on his cheek. His chest heaved a bit too much for Shinichi’s liking. Without the top-hat, the thief’s natural tousled hair was in even more noticeable then before, and the only obstacle that hid his identity was the monocle on his left eye.

“You don’t know that, I can still –“ his voice seemed so young and filled with pain and hopelessness as he continued bumping the deceased chest almost desperately.

Shinichi was suddenly struck with the image of the boy he had saved years prior in the aquarium. It was the same expression of fear, and something in the energy in his body vibrated with the need to reach out and help on their own accord. However, he knew there was nothing he could do.

“KID –“

Something in Shinichi’s expression must have conveyed an understanding of the situation as the thief suddenly crumbled next to the body in defeat. More emotions than the angel was capable of understanding shimmered in his face. He had never seen KID so exposed, always keeping up a poker face to conceal his true intention, and the angel stood silently watching, feeling far out of his comfort zone to know what to do.

He had seen humans grieve and their friends and family trying to console them, but being in the same situation, rather than as an observer, left him feeling alienated. He had no impulse to reach out to comfort the thief, and no words even crossed his mind to say. In this situation, it was abundantly clear how _not_ -human he was, as his response to death after a millionth or so time was only met with indifference.

The whole definition of life and living, was the knowledge the existence would not last. Death was nothing – not the end, simply the beginning of something new. If the dead had been a good person, she would leave to a better place, and if not –

“I couldn’t save her – I, I was too late,” KID’s voice was an uncontrollable mess that clearly conveyed his unshed tears that he was desperately trying not to shed.

“Death comes to you all,” Shinichi replied, deciding to state the only words that had entered his mind.

The thief’s eyes glanced down at the body, before standing up on shaking limbs. He leaned down to grab his hat, and he brushed it against his pants, hoping to get rid of any stains on the white fabric. “That’s a rather dark view for a detective,” he uttered under his breath, before increasing the volume of his voice seemingly not expecting the angel to have heard him. “I thought you were supposed to be optimistic in your arrogance thinking you can solve any crime.”

“Narcissism does not equal trusting your observation skills. I’m simply stating a fact based on knowledge provided by what my vision tells me,” he stepped forwards, and KID flinched backwards, however when Shinichi did nothing more sinister then kneel down next to the victim, he relaxed. “I’ve seen enough death to have full trust in my own observations.”

Removing his glove, he reached out to brush his fingers softly against her cheek. The soul almost sighed in relief as peaceful calmness fluttered across her, having been in pain as she died slowly from the bullet wound in her stomach as evident of the red wetness of her dress. Memories shimmered across Shinichi’s consciousness in the form of a smiling woman – usually he could only sense the brief feeling of how her life had been. However a moment before the soul disappeared, his vision suddenly flashed brightly as he saw her:

_‘My boss is crooked, I just know it, what should I do? This isn’t right.’ Esumi Aneko pressed the book against her chest as she glanced across the room from where she had been hiding behind a column. The room was mostly empty, except for the glass monument in the middle of containing a single diamond. The monument was formed in the shape of a mermaid sitting on a clam made of porcelain._

_Her employer was Tamon Tatsui, a famous sculpture artist, who had started to add priceless jewels inside his art for the beauty – and she had admired him for his audacity. However, in the later years he had gotten in trouble for gambling and drugs. Aneko had thought he had control over his addictions, but now she had discovered documents telling a different tale. It seemed as though Tamon was working with the_ Yakuza _to ship drugs and other illegal contrabands out of the country in the base of his statues._

_And now, with Kaitou KID sending a heist note threatening to steal the jewel, she feared for his life –_

Shinichi grabbed his forehead with gritted teeth, he had never experienced clear memories of the life of the souls he reaped, and the sudden onslaught filled his soul and his wings with searing pain. He pushed the memory from his head, not wanting to experience anything else – he had no need to know exactly who she was and what events had transpired that ended in her losing her life.

For all he knew or cared, she could have been a bad person – it simply did not matter.

“Detective?” a worried tone called out as the sound of movements indicated KID leaned over to check on him, and as Shinichi felt the vibration of a hand hovering above his shoulder, he flinched away with a growl in his voice.

“Don’t touch me.”

KID stiffened, his expression fallen slack, however there was still a hint of worry glittering in his eyes as he withdrew slowly so as not to startle the angel more. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to – alright.  I won’t.”

Shinichi got to his feet swiftly, and started to put his glove back on. He had never experienced a living human being actually touching him, and he was not entirely sure if he was corporal to anything but sight. And he did not know what he would do with the consequences of KID’s hand going through his body. It had been one thing picking up a dying child on his own accord. He told himself that was the reason for his harsh reaction, however his wings twisted and turned with the distress his energy emitted. The harsh movements made it difficult to stand, and he swayed slightly. Almost gritting his teeth, he had a growing desire to grab them and hold them still.

Something in the thief reacted to the anguish, as his soul pulsated in a disarray of colours almost as though it earned with the impulse to comfort him. KID could not mask the expression in his face as his lips trembled downwards and his eyes shimmered despite trying to wear an impassive expression. If KID was confused at his own concerned reaction to the angel, Shinichi could not tell.

The thief parted his lips to say something, however he would never get to state it, as the sound of a branch snapping in the distance and the howling of hounds reached them. Almost automatically, they both froze with a foreboding feeling.

“Shit,” KID uttered, licking his lips as his eyes darted in the direction of the oncoming voices. “They are going to find us. We need to leave, now, or we’ll follow in Aneko’s footsteps. I don’t intend to die here without avenging her. I have enough evidence to arrest the lot.” He patted his hand against his chest, and only then did the angel notice the bulging.

“Go on without me, I’ll find my own way out,” Shinichi told him rather hurryingly, he could not sense death at the moment – and he would rather avoid having to reap another innocent soul this evening.

KID looked sceptical at the request, and he shook his head firmly. “It’s safer if we stick together, I scouted the forest as a get-away before the heist. I know these woods.” Almost hesitantly, he held his hand in the direction of the angel, his eyes conveying his desperate hope that Shinichi would accept his offering.

With a clarity, Shinichi understood that they shared the same sentiment – neither wanted to see more death. And the thief did not want to be responsible for him either. The angel could not keep down the soft smile curling on his lips for a second at the unnecessary concern – he had not experiences anyone conveying such strong emotions towards him. For a moment, his soul fluttered with a sensation he could not comprehend.

“We’ll see each other again, rest assure,” he replied, and he turned around before he could see the disappointment in KID’s face. Before the thief could form a last plea for him to change his mind, Shinichi was already past the vegetation and away from sight of mortal eyes.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wordcount. 7364
> 
> Published: 22.01.2018
> 
> Warnings: angst and lots of people dying. 
> 
> Still unbeated.
> 
> Next chapter might take a bit longer as I’m swamped with school this week. 
> 
> (I shamelessly use one of the amazing drawing Shrio-nii made. If you want me to remove it I will)

 

 

 

“How the hell did you know,” was the first thing that met him as Shinichi stepped into the room, having been called by a dying soul. He almost stumbled in his steps as he was acknowledged by someone immediately.

Turning around, he spotted the teen detective he had met not too long ago at the beach. If he remembered correctly, his name was _Hattori Heiji_ – and for a brief fleeting moment he wondered why he had bothered to remember the name. The chances of meeting a mortal twice in their life time was miniscule. However, considering he kept encountering Kaitou KID, it seemed to be an occurring habit lately.

Shinichi must have spent too long to reply, as Hattori continued – apparently come to the conclusion that the angel could not remember him. “With the drowned lady. Everyone was so sure it was a murder, how the hell did you know it was just an accident?”

He stared at the detective for a short moment, hesitant to explain the reason behind his deduction. It was easier to know it than to explain why he knew it. He was not used to the idea of voicing his inner contemplations – it was still foreign to him to interact with the mortal world he had spent lifetimes observing.

“The bruises on her neck. Had she been strangled with a rope, its far more common to wrap it around to make sure the airways are blocked, rather than a simple half circle on the throat that is far more common sight in hanging.”

Hattori looked stunned for a moment at the realization of his simple explanation kicked in. “Damn,” he muttered. “And here I thought I was observing, and not seeing.” He reached up to scratch his cheek in embarrassment, however he did not seem ashamed of the fact, rather admiring as he gazed at Shinichi was a scrutinizing expression.

“Well, in case you wanted to know what happened: She was playing hide and seek with her friends on a cruise boat. Apparently she must have climbed into a lifeboat, and being entirely too inebriated, she slipped on the ropes somehow and managed to almost hang herself before falling in the water. There have been no signs of foul play, and her friends thought she had gone back to the cabin with some random guy she met, as it was not unheard of her to do so. The cause of death was drowning, not strangulation. Poor woman, only been gone for a few hours before ending up at the shore. Not even gone long enough for anyone to miss her.”

Hattori shook his head slightly at the ridicule of the story – sometimes accidents were disasters that could have been avoided. However, Shinichi knew, once death called on someone, they would die one way or the other. There was no way to prevent it. He knew it well as an angel of death, never having met nor heard of a case where someone had not died.

“Are you a detective too?” Hattori asked quizzingly, his gaze curious as they raked across the angel’s body, trying to remember if he had seen him before. “I don’t remember reading about anyone like you in the paper. Of course, I know there are more teenage detective’s around, but few enough that I know the names of most of my competition.”

Shinichi was not sure how to respond or explain – logically he knew he could not tell anyone he was an angel. But neither was he a detective, simply just an observer. Taking the title of something seemed indecent, not matter how much Kaitou KID insistent in calling him ‘detective’ despite him never confirming nor denying the identity.

“Oh well, I guess it doesn’t matter,” a grin spread on the teen detective lips as he reached out to sling his arm across Shinichi’s shoulders. “Why don’t we go somewhere for a meal after this, on me of course. Least I could do for being out-deducted by a fellow detective –“

Hattori’s sentence was cut short as Shinichi suddenly flinched away from his embrace. His expression faltered from whatever was apparent in the angel’s face as he held up his palms immediately to indicate he meant no harm.

“Ah, sorry, sorry, didn’t man to spook you. Should have been more considerate,” his lip lopsided into a lazy grin. “Kazuha keeps telling me I’m such a brick-head sometimes.”

Shinichi could tell he was simply giving him an excuse, having picked up on the vibe that he did not liked to be touched. His wings fluttered for a moment, before resting by his side protectively. That had been entirely too close for comfort, he chided himself for not being more careful. What was he doing by making his presence apparent to humans? He was playing with fire he knew, and if he had any wit left, he would cease his interactions immediately.

However, a part of him felt a sting of pain at the idea – he did not wish to stop, his curiosity around these humans growing for every conversation.

“Its fine,” he finally managed to utter in reply as he collected himself. “I’m not hungry,” for he could not taste human food regardless, “but thank you for the invitation.”

Hattori barely managed to mask his disappointment, but he nodded in acknowledgement, not going to try to convince him. “Alright, but know my invitation is always open for a fellow detective, yeah?” He turned around as someone called his name, and he responded back, before turning to look at Shinichi once more. He froze for a moment as his eyes glazed through the angel, and his eyes darted to the sides in confusion, trying to see where Shinichi had gone.

Ignoring him, the angel stepped through him and towards the crime scene – he had loitered around for too long: he had a soul to collect.

…

Shinichi did not acknowledge the woman standing by his elbow as he gazed around the ballroom. There was a sophisticated crystal chandelier hanging from the gilded ceiling above, where the light shimmered through the crystals, it made the crowd underneath glitter almost magically from the reflection. It might have been why the room had been chosen. In the middle of the floor was a glass display with a diamond neckless, and even though the room had far more exquisite and rare artefacts, it was now ignored by the mass who only had eyes for one.

Standing tall in front of the display, stood Nakamori Ginzo as his eyes gazed across the room, hoping desperately – yet knowing it was a lost cause – that he would discover a clue about Kaitou KID’s whereabouts.

The sound of a throat being cleared did not catch his attention either. He felt a little guilty as he had not been called to the site and so had no reason what so ever for loitering around. However, as long as he did not have a job to do, he supposed it would be alright.

“So, what’s your deal?” a slightly annoyed, yet familiar voice spoke. This time, Shinichi turned in surprise to look at the woman. It took him a few seconds before he recognized her from the Magician lover’s murder case, when he had manipulated her thoughts to solve the crime for him. Something pulsated in his chest in worry, it was something he should not have done, and in hindsight he was worried at the repercussion of his actions.

“Yes, I’m talking to you,” the vexation was smeared thicker as she looked straight at him, and only then did the angel realize that she could see him – once again been spotted without being actively incorporeal. It was dizzyingly to think about – that he so easily and unconsciously became visible, almost as though he longed to be recognized in the mortal world.

It was however, a concern he should worry about later.

“Sorry, what?” he finally replied, a bit shaken, feeling already out of debt in the conversation.

The blond woman – whom he now remembered was named Sonoko – lifted an eyebrow in disbelief. “I said: what’s your deal?”

Shinichi gazed at her for a brief moment with growing confusion. Had she asked her a question he had not heard? “I don’t understand.”

 Sonoko crossed her arms, her lips dipping upwards. “Listen, my friend, Ran, think you are interesting. She is rather into you stoic, calm yet smart types. I don’t see why though,” her eyes were critical as he scrutinized his body with a meaning Shinichi could not possible comprehend. “We have seen you around a few times. So, I ask again, what’s your deal?”

Shinichi felt even more out of depth in the conversation, not understanding the meaning behind her cryptical tone of voice. “I don’t –“ he started, but she cut him off again when her expression changed from critical to excited fascination.

“Oh, oh! I see, that certainly explains a lot. I mean, my Ran is drop dead gorgeous and she’s been practically throwing herself at you in her typical Ran fashion –“ his eyes wandered to the girl in question while his eyebrows lowered in befuddlement. He had talked to her briefly once or twice, and he agreed she was pretty from a purely aesthetical point of view. Ran was staring at them in the manner of someone who tried to pretend they weren’t spying – her cheek blushed red. The view did not give him a hint as to where the conversation was headed as Sonoko continued. “With this new information, everything makes a lot more sense.”

Sonoko’s expression was almost voracious as she stared at him, and Shinichi suddenly missed the irritation from earlier – it had been far less disturbing.

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us,” she said, her smirk possibly even wider as she turned around and disappeared into the crowd. He watched as she whispered something into Ran’s ear, and they stared at him for a moment, before turning and giggling.

The whole picture was a confuddled bizarreness, and the angel realizing he could comprehend human behaviour less then he had originally thought after observing them for so long. The idea was rather frightening.

“My, my, detective. You certainly are popular amongst the girls. A thief might be a bit jealous that you are stealing all their attention at his own heist,” a voice practically purred in his ears, and he turned his head to the side in surprise at the unfamiliar face that met him. It was a petite woman in her mid-twenties, with eyes a bit too wide apart to be considered attractive. The dark, male voice that escaped the voluptuous lips did not fit her. It was the first clue he had about her true identity, as a moment later KID’s soul pulsated in excited greeting.

“Not precisely how I’d formulate it,” Shinichi replied, his eyes glued to the thief in curiosity – wondering not for the first time how he was able to disguise himself so completely. Had he not known it was KID, he would have mistaken him for a woman.

The thief’s lips curled upwards. “Don’t be modest, I see how their gazes are locked on your handsome features – and I can’t disagree with them. From an aesthetical viewpoint of course.”

Shinichi glanced down at his body with uncertainty – truth be told he was not entirely sure what he looked like. He could not see his reflection in a mirror, neither had he ever been curious about it. It was simply a shell he had been given in order to walk the mortal plane. However, according to the way people had been referring him – it seemed to be a youthful body, probably in its teen. Fitting perhaps, as he was not amongst the oldest of the angels. The concept of death had only been created once mortals had left the garden of Eden.

“You don’t take teasing well, do you?” KID rolled his eyes as Shinichi spent too long contemplating – it seemed to be a rather occurring happenstance, he was used to having eternity to think. Angels had no need to hurry through a conversation, rather taking their time. Humans on the other hand, tended to talk quickly, taking silence as a hint of no reply. He would have to get used to the practice.

The thief’s expression suddenly turned softer, more fragile as he gazed at him through fake eyelashes. “I’m glad you got out of the forest alright, running on your own was foolish. But glad nonetheless.”

The clear concern in his voice made the angel look away as something hammered in his chest. “Don’t be irrational. Of course I’d be alright. I was never in any danger,” he spoke truthfully.

KID must have misunderstood his meaning, taking it as sign of arrogance and immodesty – and as an attempt to easy up on the emotional atmosphere that had settled between them. “Are you sure you are not a detective? You are certainly arrogant enough, and lack the self-preservation instinct of the public.”

“First you are complementing me, now you are accusing me of narcissism?” he lifted an eyebrow. “You are more illogical than women.”

The thief’s cheeks suddenly blushed red, even through the mask, and a grin spread across his lips as he chuckled. “One cannot equal the other?” he stopped as he contemplated for a second, “fair enough, detective. But I must take my leave, my show is about to start. Make sure to be attentive, or you’ll never catch me.”

With a last grin, he disappeared in the crowd, and Shinichi did not look for him, his eyes now turning to the pedestal taking the challenge glittering in KID’s eyes to heart as his soul fluttered in excitement inside of him as he had been acknowledged as a worthy adversary for the first time.

…

It was quiet but for the soft breeze as he stepped onto the rooftop. His wings fluttered behind him, however there were no feeling of death calling, and they settled next to him a moment later. For a second, he wondered if it was a foreshadowing warning. His eyes wandered searching for the object of reason behind his appearance.

He did not have to look far, as he spotted a figurine on the adjacent side of rooftop. With the moonlight behind him and the general shadows, the form looked almost black. Shinichi parted his lips for a greeting, before stopping as he realized his eyes had played a trick on him due to the lighting.

It was not Kaitou KID standing there in full white regalia, rather a man in black wearing what looked like a fedora. As Shinichi was watching with silent curiosity, wondering where his usual moonlight companion was hiding, the man turned to face him.

The angel had only a second to recognize the glinting of metal, before a sharp sound echoed across the rooftop. The air shifted around him almost immediately as he was forcefully pushed to the ground. Whatever air he had been inhaling in order to mimic breathing hitched in his throat almost painfully, and a jolt of pain shuddered across his wings as they laid warped underneath him. A weight laid heavenly on his chest.

For a fraction of a second, he imagined he had somehow been shot and this was what it felt like to be in physical pain, before he remembered he was immortal and could not feel the same sensations as mortals. Opening his eyes – only then realized he had closed them in the fall – his vision was filled with whiteness and familiar indigo eyes gazing down at him with what he could only comprehend as worry.

Before he had the time to react to the image, Kaitou KID rolled off him and stood. The whole ordeal only lasted for a fraction of a second as another gunshot rang. KID reached down to grab the angel by the shoulder as he dragged him to an upright position.

Shinichi was entirely too surprised at the action, that he could not react any further then to blink owlishly at the transpiring events. KID’s touch tingled almost warmly where his hands had touched him – and his thoughts were filled with the baffled realization that his body was corporal enough to be touched by humans.

He did not get to spent more than a precious few fractions of a second in immobile thoughts, as KID grabbed his hand to lead him hurryingly behind a shed as more gunshot was heard.

The angel almost sagged against the wall as he was pushed gently into it, with KID crowding his space with concern lighting his eyes. Before Shinichi could flinch away, the thief was touching his cheek with featherlight touches – and he was thankful for the fact KID was wearing gloves.

“Detective? Are you hurt anywhere?”

The thief’s voice was soft but audible enough to be heard in order to not give away their location. Shinichi had to blink at the clear worry in his adversary, could not comprehend the reason behind KID’s concern for someone who was clearly trying to catch him – regardless of the fact Shinichi was only enjoying the game, but the thief did not know this.

“I’m alright,” he finally managed to utter, something in his chest almost pulsating with warmth as they stood nearly chest to chest. He could sense the thief’s soul beating against him, and he could not rip his gaze from KID’s face.

Shinichi had never noticed how many colours mapped out the thief’s eyes despite the monocle blocking some of the view– there was a dark purple ring around the irises and the inside both blue like the evening sky and the iridescence of twilight. Or perhaps it was only he could see the morphing of rainbows in his eyes. The angel had never gazed so closely into mortals’ eyes before, and he wondered if everyone had the reflection of their soul shimmering in their eyes.

“I’m glad,” came the breathed response, and KID did not seem inclined to move either.

Doing an entirely too human nervous tick, Shinichi finally broke their eye contact as he moved his head away to indicate he wanted space – unable to do so himself, being crowded to the wall.

KID stepped back almost immediately as though he had been burned, and he glanced almost shily at the angel through his lashes.

“You have to be more careful, or you’ll be shot one of these days. I feel like I tell you this every time we meet: you really don’t have any survival instinct what so ever do you,” despite the chiding tone of voice, his lips were curving upwards slightly.

Shinichi finally forced himself to inhale a breath of air as he made his chest move in a mimic of breathing, lest the thief noticed something was out of place with him. He slowly let his hand rake through his scalp to quench the urge to touch his wings to calm down his nerves. The feathers quivered in excitement or worry – he could not tell which.

“Jumping into a possible stray bullet on purpose is more evidence of lack of survival instinct,” Shinichi retorted, falling back on their usual bantering automatically.

KID exhaled loudly with a suffering expression, “you are absolutely impossible.”

“Not impossible,” the angel did not miss a beat, and this time he could not hide the amusement in his tone as his lips curved upwards in a secretive smile. “Just improbable.” _Like the real existence of angels._

The thief almost looked ready to facepalm, when another gunshot rang out. With a jolt they remembered their circumstances – being on the rooftop with possibly an assassin. Shinichi was almost tempted to ask why someone was shooting at them. However, even if he got an answer, there would be nothing he could do about it. For all he knew, it could just be another case of KID stealing something from criminals.

It had happened plenty of times already – remembering the body of Esumi Aneko in the woods.

“You have to leave,” the words escaped the angel’s mouth hurryingly before he was aware of the sentiment. He could not feel any death, however he did not want to take the risk of KID staying around any longer regardless. A part of him knew he had no desire seeing the thief shot – especially when knowing the only reason he was sticking around was due to the belief Shinichi was in danger.

Shinichi’s inner-monologue proved true a moment later as KID’s expression darkened in disbelief. “You mean, _we_ have to leave. This is the forest all over again, I’m not letting you go on your own this time,” he reached out to grab the angel by the shoulder, however froze when Shinichi stiffened. His arm fell slack to his side as a pleading look flickered across his face.

“Please, you don’t know these guys. Snake –“ he inhaled sharply, a flash of panic in his eyes Shinichi assumed came from saying something he shouldn’t have. “They are dangerous alright, they wont hesitate to shoot you.”

The angel searched his expression with curiosity, wishing again that he could ask the questions burning on his lips. Instead, he was the one suddenly reaching out to grab KID by the biceps. For a moment, a thrill shivered up his arms and across his wingspan that made them flap behind him at the knowledge he could actually touch something alive. It had been entirely too long – not since when he had thoughtlessly saved Kaitou KID from the fire.

He stepped forwards, almost dragging the thief with him as he went. KID struggled for a moment, but gave up a second later in curiosity as to what the angel was doing. He must have only realized Shinichi’s intend the last few seconds, as he opened his mouth to protest.

“Detective, please, don’t do this –“ he tried to fight the insistent push as hard as he could, however the angel was far stronger then the mortal. The last think he saw as KID went over the reeling, was a flash of panic and concern, before the wings of the paraglider spread out and was caught by the wind.

Shinichi watched in silence as the white dot disappeared in the distance, his soul beating against his ribcage. From afar, he could still feel the thief’s burning gaze, and Shinichi’s lips curled upwards on their own accord. It was not him who was impossible – rather KID was for treating him as a human. As though they could be friends.

It was an impossible idea.

…

The sound of cluttering from utensils and plates felt almost dim in the background as Shinichi gazed almost glassy-eyed down at a plate of food placed in front of him. What had the detective called it again? Something to do with _nimono_ or _agemono_ , he was not entirely sure. Glancing to his side, peered underneath the fringes of his hair at his companion.

Hattori Heji’s cheeks were flushed with good humour as he kept talking and waving his hands around – the angel was not entirely sure about the conversation topic. Rather, he felt out of place and out of his comfort zone. Somehow, he’d had the (mis)fortune of meeting the detective once more – and how he could see Shinichi so easily the angel had no clue – and this time at a restaurant. He’d had not even the slightest chance to open his mouth to decline the request once the culprit had been caught, before he had been pushed into a seat while several dishes were placed in front of him.

All he had gotten as an explanation was a boyish smile and a “I promised I’d buy you a meal. Hattori Heiji always keeps his promises.”

So there he was, trying not to feel watched as he tried to figure out how to use the chopsticks that he had been handed – and more fascinated by his ability of picking them up more then anything. Even under his glove, he could imagine they felt smooth against his fingertips and the weight a soft comfort.

“You don’t like the food?” Hattori’s questionable gaze forced him to stop staring at the chopsticks, and he turned to look at his companion properly. “I should have asked if you had any preferences, I could order something else –“

“Please don’t,” Shinichi cut him off rather hurryingly, already feeling ill at ease over the situation. He could not consume any of this food – he neither required the nutrients, neither did he actual possess digestive system. Putting the chopsticks back on the table, he made to stand. “I’m just not hungry.”

Hattori stood with him, his hands suddenly reaching out to grab the angel’s sleeve, before freezing halfway through the motion. Something in his expression told Shinichi that the detective remembered he did not liked to be touched.

“Thanks for the meal,” he interjected before his companion could object, as he turned to leave the room.

“Wait,” Hattori stepped forward to block his path, his eyes dark and brows furrowed as he looked the angel in his eyes with a hard but desperate expression. “I just want to get to know you, you know. You aint an easy fellow to find ya know.”

Shinichi looked away, feeling something in his chest tighten at the desperate plea in confusion – for what reason could the mortal possibly have any interest in him? As far as he was concerned, the angel was no one special. Instead of replying, he simply shook his head as he stepped around the man.

Before he slipped out of the room, he could hear Hattori calling after him. “How about next time yeah?”

…

The café was brightly lit with both illuminating lights from above and the sun filtering through the window. The booths looked old yet comfortable and it was a large locale without being crowded as the owner had focused on comfort rather than profit.

The room was half-full, and the friendly chatter was a buzz in the background as soft music was playing through hidden speakers. Some of the guests were drinking coffee, other’s tea and some even drinking beer despite it barely being past noon. It seemed as though the café also worked as a bar.

The foreboding feeling of death itched across Shinichi’s whole wingspan as he materialized inside. And he reached out to brush his fingers against the feathers. It had been itching more than usual these days, as though the approaching feeling of death was somehow bothering him. He had been around it for centuries, long since used to watching mortals die several times a day. Every day, hundred and fifty thousand humans died, and only a limited number of Angels of death existed.

A familiar sensation suddenly brushed against his mind, and he opened himself up to the warmth and thrilling laughter that waved through him in greeting. He immediately turned to the side to gaze down at the soul. He did not recognize the owner from look, but the soul was intimately familiar to him.

It belonged to a boy in his late teens who sat in the window booth, with wild brown hair with too many shades to differentiate the exact colour. His nose was a bit crooked, and he had a small, barely noticeable silver-scar on his eyebrow. Despite the unfamiliar facial features, his eyes were the same: the iridescent purple colour of the twilight sky.

With curiosity bubbling in his chest, Shinichi approached – wondering exactly what KID could possibly be doing at a café of all places. It was neither evening nor did it seem like a viable target for a heist. Sliding into the booth, the angel decided to greet him.

“Hi KID.”

The stiffening response and flicker of fear in his eyes as he turned to watch the newcomer was an unexpected response. The teen’s Adam’s apple moved visibly as he swallowed loudly. His eyes suddenly turned sharp for a moment of thought before his expression smoothed out in his usual poker face.

“Who are you calling a kid? We look to be about the same age.”

Now it was Shinichi’s turn to be surprised – why did the thief pretend to not recognize him? Tilting his head to the side slightly, he voiced his uncertainty. “I don’t understand.”

It must have not been the reply KID was expecting, cause his eyebrows twitched in some emotion the angel could not comprehend. The angel’s eyes were suddenly glued to the brows in fascination – wondering exactly how he managed that feat. Some human facial features and emotions were simply out of his grasp of understanding.

His staring must have made the thief nervous, as he suddenly squirmed like a cornered animal, as evident by the flickering gaze. “You must be mistaking me for someone else –“ he started, trying once more to deflect the fact they knew each other.

Something Shinichi could not understand, it was clear as day to him that his companion was _Kaitou KID_. His soul was more evidence than he needed – and it was not before later that he remembered mortals could not sense each other’s presence in the same way.

“Kaito,” a chirping voice cut his musing, and KID’s sentence was cut off as a young woman in her late teens made an appearance. In her hand she was holding a tray with two cups and two plates of pie. She peered at the angel with curiosity. “Is this a friend of yours?”

The thief stiffened, and several expressions flickered across his face as he was unable to keep his poker face. Shinichi could recognize several emotions such as fear and disbelief. The girl seemed to ignore his reaction as she put down her tray before reaching out with her right hand.

“I’m Nakamori Aoko, nice to meet some more people who can tolerate Kaito’s presence,” her smile was wide and almost impish as he peered at him closely with curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

Shinichi glanced back and forward between them for a moment, before realization sank in. _Kaito_ must be Kaitou KID’s civilian identity, that would certainly explain his reactions. Perhaps believing the angel had come there to out him and have him arrested – not that he would have, even if he was mortal and working with the police, Shinichi thought silently to himself.

The angel never had the chance to respond, as the sound of a tray with glasses smashed into the ground, followed by the thud of a body. Several surprised screams echoed through the café, and everyone’s eyes snapped in the direction of the scene. Death pulsated across his wingspan in urgency as a soul cried out in distress. For a few moments there, he had completely forgotten as to the reason behind his appearance in the café.

Kaito’s soul suddenly darkened in what could be describe as horror, and Shinichi’s eyes were drawn to the change in fascination. He had never peered at a human soul so closely before, and he wondered silently to himself why he had never noticed how souls changed in colours, as though they were a conscious entity even while alive.

Aoko was suddenly gone in a flurry of activity as she whipped out a cell phone and started ordering people around in a manner that seemed more befitting Nakamori Ginzo – and only then did he realize the connection with amusement. He looked at the thief with his lips curling upwards ever so slightly.

“I must admit, you are craftier then I gave you credit for.”

Kaito seemed to have paled while his attention had been elsewhere, and there were clear cracks in his poker face. He reached out to grab a cup from the trey, but as his hand started to shake slightly, he withdrew it immediately in an expression that told Shinichi that Kaito was hoping he had not noticed.

His reactions were baffling the Angel – was he scared of him all of a sudden? Had something happened between last heist and today? The smile on his lips fell in discomfort, and he decided he would simply collect the soul and leave – not feeling welcomed in the thief’s presence any longer. He started to slide from his seat, when Kaito suddenly reached out to grab his biceps.

The angel froze underneath the hand, stopping to manually breathe in surprise, still not used to being touched by corporal objects.

“Please,” Kaito’s voice was shaken and low and desperation gleamed in his eyes as they drilled heavily into his. “Please don’t tell anyone, not right now. I have something I have to do first – its important. I swear, I’m not doing it just for the thrill.”

Shinichi did not dare move a muscle as Kaito’s insistent voice rushed through his story, as though he was afraid the angel would disappear if he did not come to the point. Shinichi had never seen such despair in the thief before, and suddenly he had the odd impulse to soothe his worries, just so he would not wear such a vulnerable expression any longer.

“On the rooftop the other day – the ones who shot at us. They are bad people, and I’m trying to stop them. So please, please trust me,” for a moment, Kaito looked surprised at his own words as his eyes widened. An unconscious part of him trusted Shinichi – and the angel knew why – however, consciously, he was not comfortable with suddenly speaking so truthfully.

Shinichi could not do anything else but to put his gloved hand on top of Kaito’s – he had seen humans do it often when trying to console. “I wont,” he promised, speaking truthfully. The thief couldn’t know that Shinichi had no one to tell, so comforting him with an empty promise wouldn’t hurt.

It seemed to be the right thing to say, as Kaito sagged against the seat. His hand fell back to his lap, and gratitude shimmered in his eyes. “Thank you – I,” he hesitated for a moment, before continuing with a soft expression. “Thanks Detective.”

If Shinichi had been mortal, he was sure he would have been flustered by that. Instead he gave a short nod before standing. Turning towards the soul calling for help, he removed one of his gloves. One of these days, he should start making his job the top priority again, he thought silently to himself in apology to the suffering soul.

…

The small clearing was dark from the lack of streetlights and no illuminating moon above. The stars twinkled above almost dimly. The only light source came from the other side of the bay, where a large Ferris-wheel belonging to an amusement park shone in several colours. Standing by the guardrail was the figurine of a woman kneeling next to her eight-year-old daughter as she fuzzed with the collar of her dress.

The only sound was from car-horns in the distance, and Shinichi found the serene picture too out of place. He imagined a sad tone in the background – or a song. Perhaps the noise from rapid footsteps or a helicopter to the rescue.

Instead, he had only a buzzing in his ear and an unrelenting itch in his feathers as death almost hummed. His wings were spread out behind him, unable to keep still as the growing urge to do something tingled through him. _All life must die_ , he repeated in his head over and over again. _Death is not the end of life._

Words he had once found solace in, now felt empty as they echoed in his mind.

He presumed, this was why there was a taboo amongst the Angels of death to interact with the mortal world. It was not prohibited out right, simply not a conceivable idea. He had never pondered it before, had never had a reason to seeing as he had never felt a care for the humans. His job was to collect their souls, good or bad, deserving or not.

He had felt an echoing call of death a few hours earlier, and out of curiosity and something akin to boredom fuelled his action as he answered the call prematurely. The scene that met him was chaotic: a woman by her knees – pretty in her late twenties – and her hands firmly placed on her daughter’s ears.

Towering above them was a group of women who were both attacking verbally and physical, however the kneeling woman neither moved to defend herself nor spoke.

“How dare you accuse him, you gold digger,” hissed one of the women, a larger one with bleached hair and too much make-up.

“Its not rape if you get payed for it, is it?” a second one said, her eyes cold as steel with judgement. Her nose was an inch too low on her face, indicating she’d had a nose operation years ago.

“You are just a piece of trash dragging down a nice, honourable man for your own pleasure,” a third woman bulldozed herself through the crowd to land a kick on the accused back. The woman buckled underneath the force, but did not utter a sound in defiance.

The little girl – her daughter Shinichi had presumed – suddenly tore herself from the mother’s grasp as she ran across the road. Fear and concerned read clearly in her face, and she almost stumbled over a pebble in her hurry. Shinichi only realized too late that she had spotted him, as her gaze burned on his figure as she darted around a flowerbed.

It was a nice neighbourhood, with reasonably priced houses laying in row, seeming almost identical in décor. A large playing area filled with trees, a pond, a few benches and a playground for children was visible from his locale.

“ _Oniisan,”_ the girl came to a stop, her eyes large as he gazed up on him. Her chest heaved in quick succession as she tried to regain the air she had lost in her sprint. Her eyes were impossibly brown on the verge of being black, and freckles drizzled her nose and cheek. “Help my mum, please. She didn’t do anything wrong.”

Shinichi had frozen in surprise at being noticed, and his feathers quivered with the need to help. What being could possibly turn away a frightened child – he had certainly been unable in the past. And yet, yet he knew he had to – should stop meddling in human affair. Death was calling – and he had the suspicion he knew who was going to die. Part of him hoped it was someone else, however he could not interfere with fate.

“Please, _oniisan_ ,” the girl pleaded again, her voice both soft and shrieking at the same time, as though she was a foreshadowing Banshee. She grabbed his hand before he had the time to flinch away, and dropped something in his palm before curling his fingers around it rather defiantly. “I’ll pay you if you help my mum.”

Shinichi gazed down at her for a quiet moment as he was torn between duty and desire – no one deserved such onslaught of abuse. The little girl met his stare unrelentingly and without blinking.

“I can’t,” he finally managed to speak. “I’m sorry, but it’s not within my jurisdiction.” He tried to explain, hoping against everything that the child would understand how torn he was on the subject.

Her lips dipped downwards in displeasure – a far more adult expression then she should have been able to, as she suddenly turned away to sprint back to her mother in order to defend her alone. The angel watched her go, a strange feeling was growing in his chest – and if he was human, he imagined it could have been guilt. Only after the group had dispersed, did he realize the girl had not taken back the token she had given him.

Uncurling his fingers now, back in the present, Shinichi once more gazed down at lollipop he had received. It was an innocent looking item, with a head in a shade of red that reminded him of cherries glittering on a summer day field. A part of him, wished he had taste buds and could taste the flavour of it.

He was stirred from his thoughts as there were movement on the pier. The nameless woman suddenly stood, her child’s arms wrapped around her throat as she hung from her mother’s back. Despite the darkness, Shinichi could differentiate the midnight blue shade of her dress. Her mother was wearing an identical in colour, however hers were more tight fitting to her body.

Shinichi took a step forward unconsciously, his hand once more curling tight around the token clutched in his palm. It would happen soon, he was sure of it – and he was powerless to stop it. How would it happened, he wondered. An assassination to quiet the woman on the events that had transpired? Perhaps a drunken robbery.

He could not tell – never got any information about how people died.  All he did was answer the call when he felt death summoning. More than ever, he felt like watcher – one without the freewill mortals had. Perhaps his existence was not truly living, simply just a presence existing for the sake of existing. One with only the purpose to do as he was told.

By now, the woman was facing the view of the bay. The lights from the Ferris-wheel seemed almost to brighten with colour, and the ushering of the ocean were barely audible over the inhale of breath from the humans. Above, the stars were twinkling coldly.

The little girl hanging from her mother’s back suddenly turned her head to look at the angel. Red lights in the distance reflected from her right eye – suddenly all mask of childness seemed to have vanished as her expression shone with understanding beyond her years.

Shinichi only had a moment as something hitched in his chest, and his wings ruffled behind him ready to take air at a moment notice, as sudden realization shook him to the core. However, he was frozen to his spot from the girl’s gaze as the mother suddenly stepped onto the railing with quick strides and without any hesitation –

The angel tore his gaze away and turned his head. His eyes shut tightly to keep the image from forever searing behind his eyelids. A rush of energy jolt shimmered across his body with a sensation he could not comprehend – he had witnessed suicides in the past. More than he could possibly count – had seen so much terror and horror that had passed indifferently to the angel. So why now, why did this shake him to such a degree.

The woman and the girl meant nothing to him, he did not even know their names. And yet he had been the sole audience to their death – the only one who knew that lives had been lost in a such of terrible way.

He gritted his teeth, trying to push the invading thoughts away. Death was the sole goal of living: the freedom of life was given knowing that one day the humans would die. In the meantime, they had the freedom to do and act as they please and live their life as they chose. And Shinichi, as an immortal being, had his purpose in the universe.

Opening his eyes, he noticed he was at the foot of the cliff. In the short distance he noticed something familiar mangled in the rocks. His eyes started to itch, and almost in curiosity he reached up to trail his fingers underneath the eye socket – almost expecting to feel something moist. However, there were no tears for the deceased, for he was not human.

His wings brushed against his sides as he retracted them, and he imagined they were almost comforting as he reached out to brush his fingers against the feathers in an effort to calm his energy from bursting. In the distance he could hear the distressed souls calling for him, but he hesitated for a moment.

Not yet ready to see their memories, to relive their lives – and be the only recorder of their deaths.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for my tardiness of getting this chapter out, I honestly don’t have an excuse. This chapter has been finished for a couple of days now, however I’m not entirely pleased with it : and then my mmorpg game added a new patch and I just came out for some fresh air. 
> 
> Thank you for everyone who reviews and likes my story. 
> 
> Still unbeated.
> 
> Wordcount: 8051
> 
> Published: 02.02.18

**_ Chapter 3 _ **

“Kuroba Kaito, magician extraordinaire. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” his smile was almost blinding, and his eyes glittered with cheerfulness as he held a blue rose in the angel’s direction. Behind him, the ocean sparkled with the rays from the evening sun, and spots of lights shimmered off his face.

Shinichi was utterly confused at the image, looking down at him from where he had been sitting undisturbed on top of a large stone. For once, Kaito had approached him – having accidently seen him from the road most likely, as evident from a bicycle laying forgotten in the sand. The thief’s chest was moving a bit quicker than usual.

“What?” Shinichi could not contain his befuddlement, meaning both ‘ _what are you doing here’_ and _‘what are you doing’_. The thief’s smile widened impossibly, and his soul vibrated a deep orange as though it had been soaking in the sunlight all day.

“I’m giving you a rose,” he simple replied, his hand still offering him the flower.

The statement did not ebb his confusion, and he was almost tempted to ask why, but decided a moment later that the answer would most likely be just as befuddling. Instead, he put his hand in his pocket and withdrew the only item he had ever been carrying.

“I’ll trade you.”

Kaito’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, and redness suddenly blossomed on his cheeks. “That’s not necessary –“ Shinichi did not let him finish his protest as he grabbed the magician’s wrist. A shiver of electricity rushed against his fingertips pleasantly, and Kaito had stilled as his eyes were locked on their intertwined hands.

Letting himself linger for only a moment – and he was not entirely sure why – he took the rose from the owner’s grasp and replaced it with a lollipop, before withdrawing to hold the rose curiously against the sun. He could not remember ever having picked a flower – and with a spontaneous impulse, he sniffed the petals.

In the corner of his eyes, Kaito had still not moved a muscle, and his lips had parted a little as his eyes were locked on the form of the angel. Shinichi wondered what an image he struck with the soft wind ruffling the locks of his hair, and making his coat flutter. The red dying light of sunset reflected of the ocean and cast him in an deep orange light. His wings almost preened as they stretched out on their own accord – despite Shinichi knowing that they were invisible to the mortal’s gaze.

“What does it smell like?”

Kaito almost flinched at the question as though he had been transfixed in thoughts. Finally dropping his arm, he raked a hand through his hair, making it more messy than usual. “The flower?”

Shinichi dipped his head once in affirmation, before explaining, “I don’t have a sense of smell.”

The thief’s eyebrows knitted together in sympathy, “that sounds dreary.” He pinched his chin between his index finger and thumb in thought as he stared up at the sky for a moment. The fringes of his hair danced from the movement, and the dying light made his hair look more auburn than usual. “It’s difficult to explain really, if you don’t have a reference to start froms. I can’t say its ‘flowery’, as it would be too vague.”

Without asking, he started to climb up on the rock, and he sat down next to the angel. For a second, he cast him a nervous smile, but when Shinichi did not object to his presence, his shoulders relaxed. He fished up the lollipop and started to unwrap it as he spoke.

“Roses have a lot of different fragrances, depending on the type. It’s easier to explain what cherries taste like,” he licked the red lollipop, and rolled the taste on his tongue almost teasingly, and the angel got the image of a sommelier in his head.

When the thief did not continue, Shinichi felt prompted to ask. “What does cherries taste like?”

Kaito turned to face him properly with is lips curling upwards – they glistened slightly. “It’s sweet I guess, and a little bitter on the tongue, like it absorbs sunlight into the taste. And its juicy. That’s the most important part.”

Shinichi pondered the reply: he had never considered the idea that the sun had a taste. He had heard phrases before – the smell of the ocean and the grass. Unique and recognizable by the mortals – was it a strong scent, he wondered, that tickled their nose pleasantly? He leaned back slightly, letting his weight rest on his arm behind his back as he gazed up at the sky.

Almost unconsciously, he parted his lips and stuck out his tongue tryingly.

“What are you doing?” Kaito’s curious gaze burned into his side, but it was not a malicious question believing the angel was acting crazy, simply honest fascination.

“I’m trying to taste the sunlight,” Shinichi replied after a moment, dipping his head to the side as he gazed at the magician through his eyelashes.

Kaito’s expression crumbled as he tried to repress the amount of amusement showing in his face, and the subsequent chuckle sent a warm shiver down the angel’s spine. “More people should,” he finally spoke, his voice filled with mirth and his eyes danced in a reflection of his soul. “Would cause a lot less war, I’d say. If we all spent a moment a day trying to taste the sunlight.”

Shinichi was not entirely sure what to respond, wondering for a brief moment if his action had been alien. He closed his mouth and let his gaze wander across the ocean’s horizon instead. It felt slightly out of place spending time with a mortal in silence while being corporal – he had sat by the shore alone for centuries. However, he did not feel any breech of privacy.

“So detective,” Kaito started, his expression friendly with curiosity, “why are you sitting here all alone? The sky is rather romantic,” his lips suddenly curled upwards in a playful grin. “No girlfriend?”

If Kaito was expecting him to fluster at the question, he was surely mistaken, as the angel replied only with an airy hum.

“Don’t need a date to enjoy the sunset. Some pleasures are just as nice in the company of one.”

The thief tilted his head, and Shinichi was not sure if it was fascination or thoughtfulness that shimmered in his eyes. “Fair enough, detective.”

The angel wondered exactly what the mortal’s intentions where – he had never had the need to participate in small talk before, and he was unsure of the protocols. However he could not see any nefarious intentions in his companion.

“Why do you always call me detective?” he decided to ask as it had been a question bothering him for a while, “I told you before that I’m not one.”

“You sure? Could fool me with your wit and intelligence, and not to mention always being at KID’s heists,” Kaito’s expression suddenly sharpened with a smirk. “Don’t tell me you are a fan.”

Shinichi gazed back at him for a moment, before replying stoically. “I am.”

The magician’s expression fell in surprise, and his lips parted a fraction. With a shake of his head, he chuckled. “You are so much more different than any other I’ve met. Hakuba would rather have died then admitting it.”

Kaito raked a hand through his hair, his eyes gleaming slightly with emotions the angels could not comprehend as he gazed at the angel. “You sure are utterly ridiculous you know. An enigma I just can’t wrap my mind around – and trust me, that very rarely happens to me.” He lifted his chin to look at the darkening sky, and a leaf from the trees from the other side of the road fluttered above his nose.

“You are more mysterious than _Kaitou KID_ , no one I’ve asked knows anything about you. But I’m sure you have a reason to hide your identity,” his expression was soft this time, as though he tried to be supportive over the angel’s decisions.

Shinichi looked away, his hand unconsciously tightening its grasp around the flower he was holding. He had not considered the repercussions of his actions – of course someone would be curious about his identity when he showed up randomly. He had acted foolishly in his desire to be seen – and had he not been an angel, he would surely swear at himself.

If anyone found out, he would get in trouble – and a part of him wanted to leave right there and then and refuse to be near Kaito. To never again be corporal to human eyes. He had gone entirely too long, his actions should have stopped with saving him as a boy. The rose slipped from his fingers – or perhaps through them, he was not entirely sure – and landed into his lap.

“If you are not a detective, then what are you?” Kaito’s voice was almost fragile, that it made Shinichi snap out of his spiralling thoughts to look at him. Quiet concern and uncertainty was visible in the way his lips were curling downwards, and a wrinkle between his brows. The thief must have realized he had said something wrong – reminded Shinichi that he did not exist in the same way the mortal did – and had no idea how to mend the tension.

“Not an angel of justice,” he replied softly, forcing his eyes away. Energy pulsated through his body almost alarmingly at the sudden revelation – and his wings suddenly seemed to teeter where they previously had preened.

“What kind of angel are you then?”

Shinichi glanced back at Kaito to gauge his expression, unsure how to reply. Next to him, the soul vibrated in comfort – almost as though it was trying to soothe the angel as a familiar feeling of cheerfulness waved through him. The angel’s shoulders relaxed on their own accord as he felt the worries drown in the mortal’s presence.

He had never felt anything like it before – and he wondered why he had never noticed how powerful Kaito’s soul was. Not as enormous as the energy of angels, but definitely something different than normal humans.

“Death,” he said honestly, suddenly too tired to lie. Angels really weren’t made for lying – they had no reason to.

Kaito did not see particularly amused, “that’s a morbid answer.” His expression softened as he rolled his eye, ”regardless, you never said your name. Had to refer to you as something. ‘Detective’ fits you.”

Shinichi made a soft noise in surprise – only then realizing the truth in the thief’s words. The thought of telling his own name had never crossed his mind. It was not necessary, as angels recognized each other in the vibration of their souls, and the angelic language was made out of thoughts and images and magic, rather than words.

No one had ever asked for his name – and perhaps that was why he had never been interested in knowing Kaito’s real name in the past. It had not been necessary, as their souls greeted each other the way angels did.

“I’m terrified of fish,” Kaito commented airy, his gaze back on staring at the first stars that had started to appear in the sky. Perhaps he had thought the angel took too long to respond and had no intention of doing so – and the soft smile on his lips indicated he was fine with that. “I’m not entirely sure why.”

Shinichi was stuck with the image of the boy cowering in the aquarium with a koi-fish brushing against his elbow.  A smile twitched in his lips at the memory.

“I’ll tell you one day.”

The subsequent amused laughter from his companion pulsated through their souls and Shinichi almost put his hand against his chest in curiosity at the feeling. He felt somehow warm on the inside – it was a whole new experience; however he could not find it in himself to mind as he enjoyed the company.

…

The rain pitter-pattered as it hit the concrete in the dark alley. The lights from the street did not breach much of the shadows, and pedestrians passed by without giving it a second glance as they hurried home through the harsh weather.

Shinichi held his hand out towards the rain in curious fascinating, letting the drops of water hit the palm of his hand. He had spent too many lifetimes being incorporeal to the rain, however now, he had an intriguing fascination with the way the water trickled down his cheeks. He wished he could feel the coldness against his skin just to be able to experience it. The mortals did not seem to relish in everything they encounter – or perhaps they had simply grown tire of it years ago.

Soft bells chimed in his ears, and made his feathers bristling with almost a sigh. The prickling of death was more like an exhale, soft and fragile like bells, and as he had felt it echo in the distance, he had followed the sensations in curiosity as he materialized.

Letting his arm drop, he turned in the direction of the alley as he stepped into the realm of shadows. He followed the chimes on quiet footstep, wondering who was calling for him so gently. The backstreet was dirty, with garbage laying forgotten and rotting in the gutters, and graffiti covered the walls.

He finally came to stop between two trash containers as his gaze fells on a tattered form that seemed to have sought shelter from the weather. Black hair was an unruly mess plastered against his scalp, an eye was somehow both blue and red and too swollen to be used, and his lips were cut where a stripe of blood had long since mixed with rainwater.

The person suddenly moved as though he had sensed Shinichi’s approach, and with an erratic exhale of breath, an eye popped open to stare at the angel. Despite the ragged and beaten appearance, defiance reflected brightly in green eyes. Only to drain out as recognition flickered across his face, and his lips parted in surprise.

“It’s – it’s you,” he gasped out, and it took Shinichi several seconds before finally identifying him. Even Hattori Heiji’s soul looked fray as it pulsated between yellow and orange with fighting spirit. Even kicked down and beaten, he seemed capable of continuing the fight if needed.

Shinichi could not help but admire him for a moment, he did not often encounter humans who would never give up their conviction no matter how defeated the outcome seemed. His enthusiasm diminished a second later as the familiar chime clang in his ears. He was there for a reason, and for a moment he almost regretted following the noise if it meant having to reap the soul of someone he had come to known.

Hattori might be an odd person, however Shinichi respected him for what he was – brazen, impulsive, smart and caring. He seemed to be one of the few humans he had encountered who truly tried to live their lives to the fullest. Dying so young seemed like a loss – he couldn’t be older then nineteen or twenty by now.

“Could you help me with something?”

Shinichi’s wings trembled at the question, and he had to force himself not to flinch. If Hattori was to die, then the angel could not help him. It seemed to be a growing concern the longer he interacted with the mortal world – and a part of him had hoped he would not be the one to reap any of their souls.

The temptation to leave and let someone else take the job was pushed away with something he could only describe as compassion. As an angel, he would be the last thing they saw in life, and he would be the last one to record their dying memories. He wanted to honour the life they had lived, and not leave it up to a stranger. It was the least he could do for the ones he had unwittingly deceived.

Hattori moved to turn, and he let out a small groan from the movement. From behind him, scoped up in a familiar looking cap, laid a small, shaken ball of fur. It took the angel a second to realize it was a tattered looking kitten. 

“Could you take care of her for me?” the human offered the cat to Shinichi, his eyes hopeful and appreciating – and Shinichi had thought earlier it was due to rescue to save himself. Instead, his relief in the angel’s presence was for the animal’s sake.

Feeling baffled at the transpiring event, he reached out and carefully moved the cat to lay in his arm. She settled in his arms with a soft purr, and he could feel the vibration through his arm at the erratically movement of her chest. With careful fascination, he reached up to scratch her head – he had seen humans do similar before. The cat rubbed her head against his fingers, and the blueness of her soul fluttered against his almost with a happy sigh.

There was a tight feeling in the angel’s chest he could not identity, and as he spotted the patch of blood in the cat’s black and white fur, he looked back down at Hattori.

“What happened?” he had asked before realizing.

Hattori coughed and moved a little to settle his head against the wall – he was now wearing the cap, and it was drawn to his ears in a feeble attempt to keep from losing more body heat. “Some bastard kids thought it was fun to pick on a poor defenceless animal,” his words were slurred; however the bubbling fury was clear. “You should have seen the other guys,” a grin flashed, even in the dark alley.

Shinichi glanced from the cat in his arms to the mortal with curious fascination – the mortal seemed more concerned with her well-being than with his. It was an intriguing revelation how humans cherished all life equally – even the existence of a tattered, unintelligent being. Perhaps it was so important to them when life was considered relatively short – everyone was significant.

The cat settled her head against his chest with a last chirping sound, and the angel could not stop from stroking the fur. It looked velvet soft, and he wondered what it would feel like against his fingertips. The cat had a chip on her ear, and her tail seemed short than usual. The upper fur of her head was black but for a single stripe of white over the nose, and he let his fingers trail it in wonder of being allowed to touch something so intimately.

“Heiji!” a voice echoed through the alleyway, and Hattori’s eyes closed with a soft groan and a curse. Turning around in curiosity, Shinichi watched as a woman with her hair up in a ponytail trailed down the road. Her expression furious, but worry and concern bubbling just underneath the surface.

“There you are, you idiot,” she groused when she finally spotted him, however she ran to his side and tried to help him to a standing position. “What do you think you are doing, running around on your own. One day you are going to get yourself killed.”

Hattori’s one good eye popped open at her entrance, and he grumbled in reply. “Good thing I got you then, Kazuha. To keep my back safe,” his arms was now hanging around her shoulders, however he seemed to try keeping most of his own weight so as not to burden his saviour. He stopped for a moment as his eyes looked around the alley with brows knitting together. “Where did he go?”

Kazuha followed his gaze, before staring at him in confusion. “Where did who go?”

“The detective,” Hattori stared back at her in disbelief. “He was just here, didn’t you see him?”

Shinichi stepped out of their way in silence, his fingers still petting the cat softly. He watched them in befuddlement, had the call of death he had heard not been for Hattori Heiji after all? – a part of him was thankful for the knowledge.

“What detective?”

“You know, _that_ detective,” he replied with an uncomfortable drawl as Kazuha helped him down the street.

“You mean the guy who’s better than you?”

The stiffened growl was expected, and a small smile curled on her lips as she knew how to play him. “He isn’t better than me. He just deduced a little faster than me _once_.”

The couple fell quiet as they stepped past a few forgotten poles of metal on the ground, something dark was splattered across the iron. “Do you know who he is?”

They took a couple of more steps, before she finally got a reply, Hattori’s face falling backwards to let the rain pitter-patter against his face. “I have no idea Kazuha. Some mysteries don’t always need to be solved.” 

The woman seemed thoughtful for a moment, before grinning out impishly as they disappeared behind the corner. “Or maybe you are just a terrible detective.”

Silence settled across the alleyway again, however Shinichi did not feel inclined to leave as the cat was nestled against his chest, not moving even a muscle as rain fell on them. It was not before someone cleared his throat that he looked up.

Standing by his elbow, was a blue-eyed angel with white wings fluttering in greeting. He looked to be in the body of a young boy with meticulously groomed hair, however the distinction ended there as he was wearing a suit with a red bowtie. His gaze was filled with curiosity as he gazed up at Shinichi. “It’s alright, you can let her go now,” the boy told him, his eyes wandering from the animal to his face.

Only then did Shinichi realize why the cat had laid so still in his arms, he could still feel the soft, blue vibration of her soul as she clung to him for comfort. Somehow, he had heard the soft chime of her death bell and answered the call – something which had never happened to him before. He had never heard those, as other angel’s where in charge of handling the souls of other animals and help them to their afterlife.

His fingers stilled their movements for a moment of thought, before continuing. “Not yet,” he said, not ready to relinquish the soul just yet, and the angel stood quietly next to him in silence, not questioning his actions for a moment.

“Do you want to pet her?” Shinichi asked after a few minutes had passed by, and the boy glanced up at him with a confused expression.

“Why would I want to?”

“A few moments ago she was a living, breathing creature with all the freedom of possibility that comes with living,” he told him, feeling awe enter the tone of his voice. “Aren’t you curious what it feels like?”

The angel stared at him for a long moment, his wings spreading out behind him and his soul-energy pulsated strongly in the mimic of a heartbeat in more colours then could be described in any human language.

“Not particularly.”

The soft smile that had formed in Shinichi’s lips faltered and died, and his eyes closed with confusion. How could the others not feel a fascination for the mortal world? Of something that was out of their reach – of feelings, and sensations, and food and smells. To feel the sand underneath their toes, or the rain against their cheeks, or the fur of an animals against their fingertips. He had been there just a few short years ago, indifferent to the passing of time, however now that he had experiences something new, he longed for more.

He had simply wished to share the experience and curiosity with another angel, but even though the other angel imitated the body of a child, he did not share their inquisitiveness. With a beaten sigh, Shinichi finally relinquished his grip on the cat, and as he left, he imagined his arms felt cold without the cat. A creature who had only wished for some small comforting affection before dying.

…

“When is your birthday?” Kaito asked with a dazzling smile as he leaned against the rail to stare down at the dancing hall underneath. He was wearing a black half-mask with intricate designs and dressed in a fully black outfit, with leather shoes that covered his calves. He also wore a long, white wig that reached his back.

It would have been an odd sight, had it not been for the fact everyone else was dressed up for a masquerade. Shinichi was the odd man out in the crowd for more than one reason. He looked at the crystal chandelier hanging over their heads, pondering what he should reply. Humans, with their short, fragile lives, celebrated every year they had been alive, however when you have eternity, there were no reason to keep count. He did not even know his own age.

“We’ve known each other for years now,” the magician hummed, leaning a hand on his palm as his eyes flickered to look at Shinichi. His soul seemed brighter than usual, glowing in a light indigo that sent waves of cheerful excitement through the angel every time they accidently touched. “Don’t you think I’m entitled to know?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Shinichi decided to tell him, having no better solution than the honest truth.

Kaito tilted his head with quiet contemplation before straightening. “Well then, it seems I have collected the first real clue about your identity.”

At the confused frown on the angel’s face, the thief’s smile widened impossibly as he reached down in his pocket to procure a small box. “It’s your birthday today,” he finally said, his voice soft and something shimmered in his eyes which the angel could only define as vulnerability as he handed him the box.

“Happy birthday.”

Shinichi stared at it for a long moment in incredulity, wondering what he should do with the offered box – or if he was even allowed to accept presents from a deception. “I don’t think it is my –“

Kaito made an indignant noise through his nose as he grabbed the angel’s hand and placed the oval box in his palm. “You are ridiculous, you know that? Who the hell says no to a gift, just take it.” Although his voice was stern, there was a smile curling in his lips in fondness.

Shinichi felt his mouth turn a little dry at the soft expression on his face, and something fluttered in his chest as he curled his fingers around the object. All objection had died on his lips as he almost stuttered a reply. “I – thank you.”

When Shinichi did nothing more but to stare at the box in fascination for several seconds, Kaito reached out to remove the blue ribbon and opened the lid – the angel almost objected at the movement, as he had been perfectly happy with a box as a gift, before realizing there was something inside of it as the thief picked it up.

It was a midnight blue tie with white dove decoration, and he reached out to trail his finger against the fabric in fascination over the gift.

“I bought you a new tie, seeing as I basically know nothing about you, and you always wear the same tie,” Kaito’s smile started out as a smirk, but slowly turned affectionate when the angel did not reply nor react as he had expected – perhaps with incredulity and complaint at the silly pattern. More emotions that Shinichi could comprehend flickered across the magician’s expression as his gaze were locked on his.

“Why don’t you wear it,” he finally managed to speak as his eyelids fluttered ever so slightly, his voice coming out rougher than expected. “So you can be a part of the masquerade too.”

Before the angel could react, Kaito had already snatched it away and moved behind Shinichi to remove the current one. Even with practiced hands, his fingers brushed against the neck and sent a jolt of electricity through Shinichi that made his soul pulsate in response. Kaito’s soul felt almost warm where it beat against his back.

After a moment of lingering, the thief moved in front of him to tie the knot before stepping back to admire his work – where his original tie had gone to, Shinichi did not know.

“There, a master piece if you ask me.”

He looked down at the tie and stroke a finger against it in curiosity, deciding to ignore his companion attempt at humour once more – Kaito seemed to be acting odder then usual today. He was not entirely sure if he was allowed to change his wardrobe, and his swayed slightly. Despite the uncertainty, he could not find the willpower to decline it.

“I’ll take your word for it, seeing as I don’t have the chance to look at a mirror.”

“You’d look dashing in anything, detective, trust me,” he winked in reply before settling next to the angel once more. He glanced at his clock once and must have noticed there were still time to waste until the heist started.

“Tell me one of your hobbies.”

Shinichi glanced back at him with curiosity, wondering why he was being so inquisitive over his personal affairs. They had known each other for a while, and never had personal subjects been discussed, both preferring to keep the topic off the table for different reasons. When Shinichi spent too long to reply, Kaito turned around to lean his hip against the railing and crossed his arms as he lifted an eyebrow.

“You know, what do you do for _fun_. Even stuck up detectives like you must have some sort of activity you do for entertainment.”

The angel bit his lip slightly in thoughts, racking his head for a reply, deciding he owned Kaito at least one proper answer that wasn’t a _‘I don’t know’_ or one he could not answer. “I chat with you,” he said honestly a moment later, coming to the conclussion that it was the closest thing he could come to a hobby.

Kaito’s presence was definitely the one thing he considered fun in his existence – the thief was not associated with death, rather laugher and joy that he spread to everyone around him. Perhaps it was a biproduct of his soul vibrating in the frequency that made everyone enjoy spending time with him.

Kaito blinked at the response, his eyelid fluttering slightly as his cheeks grew red. Shuffling a little with his feet, he scratched his chin in embarrassment. “Me too, detective, me too.”

There was something bashfully and honest in his expression that made something flutter in his chest once more, and he could tell there something the magician was itching to say, something on the tip of his tongue. Whenever it seemed he was going to burst, something stopped him. It had been a trend all evening, and Shinichi was curious, however he was not sure how to coax the words from him.

“You talk to yourself for fun? I think that’s closer to a mental disorder then a hobby.”

Kaito rolled his eyes and hit his shoulder lightly, “You know what I meant, idiot.” The grin on his lips told the angel he was amused at the comment nonetheless.

Whatever the thief wanted to say, he would never know, as a disturbance spread underneath them on the first floor followed by the calling of a dying soul. His shoulders fell a little as Kaito’s expression paled – for a moment there, he had completely forgotten why he was there at all.

“I’ll see you later detective,” he was given a tight, but horrified smile as Kaito retreated. Before he turned away, the angel could see disappointment flashing in his eyes.

He wondered why.

…

The room was filled with bookshelves upon bookshelves covering the walls. A computer was nestled in a corner with a few other devices he could not place. A large microscope sat next to a test tube rack on a different table.

Shinichi looked around with curiosity, wondering where he was – it could be anything from a laboratory to a medical centre. A newton’s cradle was on a shelf behind him, and he gave into the impulse of moving one of the metal balls. It clicked against the others as the end ball moved.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” a voice filled with metal and ice asked as a distinguished click from a gun echoed the words.

Shinichi flinched and swiped the cradle to the floor in accident as he moved to face the voice. The metal clang loudly as it hit the concrete, disturbing the otherwise relatively quiet room. Facing him, with her legs spread solid, clutching a Glock was a small girl. She did not seem to be much older than seven, and her auburn hair was cut short in order to not fall into her face.

The expression she wore however, was the only indication of her maturity, as her eyes were hard and unflinching, and the gun did not waver in her hand even once. Shinichi did not move so as not to spook her – if she shot at him, and the bullet went straight through him, he was uncertain how he could possibly explain it.

Perhaps he could convince her she was dreaming – she was only a child after all, they tended to forget as they grew.

The girl’s eyes drifted to his tie for a moment, before focusing on his face. “I asked you a question.”

“I’m aware,” he replied as he scrutinized her. Her soul seemed older and brighter than it should, with too many colours vibrating with emotions he could not describe.

She clenched her jaw as he said nothing further, and her fingers curled around the trigger of the gun. “And?”

He didn’t reply as his feathers started to quiver with the feeling of death chiming in his ears as a door on the top of the stairs opened.

“Ai-kun?” an older man appeared, with curly white hair and a moustache. “I heard a noise, did something happen?”

“Go back inside, _Hakase_ ,” the girl replied without turning to address him, her eyes narrowed, however there was a tension in her voice that indicated her horror despite the tough exterior she tried to emit.

The man hesitated as he tried to peer further into the room to what was going on, “Ai-kun?”

“ _Now_ ,” her voice was shrill with undeniable terror this time, and Shinichi felt a tightness in his chest at her distress on his account. He was not sure who she was or what the circumstances around the situation was. Whatever it was, it was serious enough that Ai was terrified and wanted to protect the professor.

He still did not move, seemingly not wanting to leave the girl alone and in the clutches of whoever they had mistaken him for. When he suddenly clutches his chest and pale, a moment later he stumbled down the stairs and disappeared from view behind one of the bookshelves.

Ai flinches as her eyes darted to the side, however she did not move an inch in order to keep Shinichi within the scope of her gun. “He has nothing to do with this,” the girl both whispered to herself and told him. He could see a please forming on her lips before she swallowed it – seemingly thinking it would be no use to beg.

“Agasa, are you alright?” Ai spoke louder this time, her voice portraying the desperate hope in her voice as the gun in her hand started to shake. They only got a soft groan in reply. With a swear under her breath, the girl moved backwards all the while keeping her gaze on Shinichi as she went to check on the professor.

The angel did not move an inch as he watched the transpiring event in silence. He was not entirely sure what he had accidently walked into – and he swore at himself for not being more careful. He could still sense death upon the room as a ticking clock running out. Someone was going to die soon, and he wondered if Ai’s paranoia existed for a reason.

As the girl reached the shelf, she turned her head quickly to eye the man laying in a heap of limps, and Shinichi quickly turned invisible to her gaze as she turned back. For a moment, her whole face was filled with fear as she quickly waved the gun around looking for him.

“ _Shit_ , where the fuck did you go? Come back,” she searched the room with her eyes – it was not a particularly large room, and not too many places to hide. She hesitated for a moment as she came to a decision as she finally ran in the direction of Agasa. She leaned down to check his pulse, before fishing up a mobile phone from her pocket as she dialled a number.

“Stay with me, _Hakase_ , okay? Don’t leave me alone like this,” she told him softly, and Shinichi had to look away from the scene as he suddenly felt he was intruding on something private.

The beckoning calling of death suddenly lifted in the air, and he could hear the bells calling from a further distance away. He reached out with his senses to follow its destination, feeling puzzled at the sudden change. He had been so certain that summoning had come from this location – he had never once been mistaken before.

With a last look at the girl and the professor, he turned to leave as he was summoned to a new job.

…

The park was dimly lit with streetlights scattered and far apart in order to create a romantic atmosphere. Several flower beds were in bloom – it was only early summer. None of the flowers could compare to the vibrant colour of the rose Kaito had once given him.

In between the benches stood a large fountain on a plateau, with carved figurine in marble that Shinichi could not distinguish. It would have been an aesthetical pleasing sight, had it not been for the corpse of a man laying halfway into the fountain. The water had long since turned a reddish-pink, and a few Sakura petals floated quietly.

A woman wearing a white summer dress sat by one of the benches, her expression tight and lips thinned. The ruined mascara was the only sign that she had been crying – long since run out of tears, leaving her feeling empty. A police officer kneeled in front of her, either to comfort or ask questions. Or both.

Ignoring the officers and forensic milling around, Shinichi stepped up to the body. The soul vibrated between a deep red and yellow, and it cast an interesting light across the area. Removing one of his gloves, the angel reached out to brush his fingertips against a stripe of exposed skin. Almost immediately, a flash of colours brightened his sight almost blindingly. A small gasp escaped his lips in surprise at the overwhelming response. He could feel a rush of alien sensations followed by images after images of a woman. 

 _‘Asuna’_ , the soul’s voice echoed like a whisper through his mind as he watched the woman from every angle from the deceased memories: the way her auburn hair shone almost like fire in the sunlight, how her smile brightened up the room, the way she looked when she was laughing, crying, sleeping –

_‘Marry me Asuna, and I promise I will make you laugh at least once a day for as long as I live.’_

Shinichi’s whole body shuddered – it was an unfamiliar feeling. Waves of regret and grief tore through him from the soul. ‘ _They will never get married_ ,’ he realized as the memories started to make sense. His eyes automatically searched for Asuna in the crowd.

She was no longer hunched on a bench. Instead, she was standing, her gaze seemingly fixated at the form of the angel – and something told Shinichi that he was not corporal to her sight. Not with the shifting red glow of the soul reflecting off his body, basking him in an almost ominous light.

Even from the distance, her eyes seemed impossibly blue, almost as though they were shinning on their own accord. The soul vibrated again with a deep wine-red shade and a warmth Shinichi could not comprehend, however he had experienced the sensation before briefly.

Now however, he suddenly wondered if this was the evidence of the concept known as ‘love’ – and he had never felt the sensation so brightly and forcefully in the past, and simply ignored it as he pushed away the memories. The alien sensation vanished abruptly as the soul ascended and their connection was cut. He almost stumbled at the sudden change. The red light was gone, and the park suddenly seemed dark and cold.

Asuna was still standing still, only her hair and dress fluttered in the soft wind. Tears had started to accumulate in her eyes almost as though she had physically felt the departure of her loved one, and as Shinichi watched, unable to look away, the tears started to drip down her face.

In the back of his head, he was suddenly reminded of a phrase he had heard once as a teenage girl had slid her wrist in front of the television while her favourite Korean drama played on repeat. _“A grim reaper should never look someone in love in the eyes. Bad things will follow him.”_

Only with the sound of ruckus echoing through the park allowed him to break their gazes, and he turned in curiosity towards the direction of the noise. A duo of detectives – a woman with short, dark hair and a man with almost sandy-dusted hair – was talking to a man wearing a suit that seemed a size too large. He had a goat beard and dark eyes. His expression was tight as he scowled at the police officers.

“It was you, you did it,” the woman said, her tone hard as steel in the manner of someone who was used to her orders being followed.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. Tsugaya was my friend – “

“You said you parked your car by the east entrance to the park by the river, because it’s the shortest way to the fountain you had planned on meeting by. Is this correct?”

The man in the suit’s eyebrows twitched slightly in anger, however his voice was calm as he replied. “That’s correct, officer.”

“And the deceased always took the long road through the Sakura trees in the North east by the koi ponds?”

“I presume so.”

“And there are no other Sakura blossom trees in the park,” it was not a question as the female detective interrupted, her eyes gleaming with victory as she cornered the culprit.

The man hesitated, all anger draining from his face in wary – he must have sensed that something was awry. “Well, yes –“

“Then why do you have pollen from the blossoms on your shoes, and a petal in your collar?” she did not even let him finish as she took a step forwards. The man almost balked as his hand automatically reached up to pat his collar nervously.

“I walked past some Sakura trees earlier today and didn’t have any time to change clothes before meeting up. This is just speculations, you don’t have any evidence –”

“Is it true Sosuke?” Asuna’s voice cracked through the conversation and the officers milling around stopped in their tracks as silence throbbed in tension. “Is it true,” her voice increased in volume as no one replied. “Did you murder Tsugaya?”

Sosuke took a step towards her as he automatically reacted to the anguish in her voice, and his soul vibrated across his skin for a moment in flashes of colours. He did not get further then a step as the male detective intercepted him. “Of course not Asuna. Don’t be daft, you know I only want your happiness,” he tried, his tone almost pleading for her understanding.”

Her gaze was unrelenting and unwavering, “you were always envious of Tsugaya. We all knew it, but to think you’d go so far? You are disgusting and don’t deserve to call him your friend.”

“You don’t understand,” Sosuke tried to dodge the detective, however the officer had a hard grip on his shoulder. “I did it for us.”

Asuna turned her whole body away and her small hands balled up in tight fists as she ignored him. Her soul flashed darkly for a moment, and it seeped off her as though even her energy was grieving for the loss off her fiancé. Her reaction seemed to aggravate Sosuke, as his voice dropped from unmasked desperation.

“I love you Asuna. I’ve always loved you. You should have been with me – I’d do anything for you. Tsugaya didn’t deserve you: didn’t appreciate you as I do.”

His heartfelt confession fell on deaf ears as the woman did not acknowledge his words. With a last desperate wail, he tried to wrestle the detective, however the female officer stepped in by knocking him off his feet. He slumped, and would have collapsed on the ground had it not been for the fact the male detective’s arms were still around his from the short struggle.

“You are under arrest for the murder of Sada Tsugaya.”

Sosuke’s head rolled forwards like a lifeless doll, and he did not resist as his hands were clasped in handcuffs. “I love her. I’ll do anything for her,” he mumbled softly as he was led away from the scene.

Shinichi watched the display with quiet contemplation. Logic did not seem to hinder Sosuke’s actions. He had wished her happiness and she had clearly been happy with Tsugaya, and yet he had murdered him and proclaimed he loved her.

There were many emotions he could understand – sadness came from loss, happiness from friendship – however love seemed to be an eternal enigma that skewed his understanding of human nature. How could love make happiness equal murder, and grief into something positive?

Watching the humans on the scene, no one seemed to question the logic, no expression of outrage or confusion as though they could understand the reason behind the actions. The lack of a comprehensible definition of what caused this and the transpiring events in the name of love was an illogical confusion.

Perhaps that was the largest difference between angels and humans. They never acted foolishly and without logic. No burning emotions to govern their actions. No feelings for their job – they were created for a specific duty, and Shinichi did not imagine he could use the word _love_ to describe his job. The closest he came was caring for some angels’ presence more than others, but with no desire to seek them out like mortals seemed to do constantly. Perhaps because Shinichi had eternity: none of them were going anywhere.

His brows suddenly knitted together in curiosity with the realization he had sought out Kaito in the past: with the knowledge that he was mortal, which meant his time was numbered from day one. Could that be the definition of love? The desire to seek out and spend time with a specific person?

He shook his head a moment later as he discarded the idea: happiness from friendship did not seem to equal love from friendship – not when Sosuke had hurt Asuna by murdering the man she loved. Raking a hand through his hair, the angel had to give up the line of thought with the finalizing knowledge of: an angel cannot feel love nor understand its purpose.

Before leaving, he cast a last glance in the direction of Asuna: her head was tipped towards the sky, and the summer breeze fluttered through her hair. Her soul seemed almost tattered as it dripped down her legs in sorrow for her loss. The angel could not help the sudden burning desire to be the first Angel to actually get a personal understanding of the concept of mortality.

To be human, and feel human. If only for a day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every time I think I’m done, I come up with more scenes to drag the chapters out.
> 
> Unbeated.
> 
> Published: 08.02.2018
> 
> Wordcount: 8063
> 
> Warning for death and angst. So nothing new.
> 
> …
> 
> This chapter is for Lucy, who sits waiting patiently on the bed, waiting for the perfect moment to bounce and curl on top my chest while I’m trying to edit my chapter. Gotta love that cat.

 

**_ Chapter 4 _ **

The call of death had been a boom that rocketed across the subspace, and sent juddering through the core of his being as he had quickly followed the summoning. He was not the only angel of death that materialized as he was greeted with a quiet hum and the sound of ruffling feathers. In the far distance, the sun was stretching its last rays for the evening and stars had already formed in the night sky.

The angels were standing outside a seemingly abandoned warehouse, and would have continued the illusion of foreclosure had it not been for the black and blue lights from police sirens that illuminated everything. Several people milling around wore combat outfits and carried large guns, and the sound was filled with orders and hushed conversation.

Death felt like a heavy aura across the folk-mass, a clear indication that many of these people would not leave the premises with their lives. Amongst the chaos a man stood silently as he eyed the building. He wore a black cap drawn down to his ears, and curly black hair peaked out across his right eyes. His eyes were a murky green colour. From his lips, a cigarette laid limply as though he had forgotten about its existence.

Even his soul was quiet as it thrummed softly with colours as if it was trying to be inconspicuous and portray harmless even on an unconscious level.

“Shu –“ a woman with blond, short hair and blue eyes stopped by his elbow, her eyes swimming with worry, however underneath her soul bubbled with cold fury. She was ready for battle.

Shu only nodded his head once to acknowledge her presence. Nothing else was spoken between the couple as they stood in quiet contemplation as they understood each other perfectly.

Shinichi was piqued by the display, wishing he knew the context of the raid. It was a rare curiosity in the face of death – he watched too many dying moments per day to care for them all, however this seemed more important than simple first-degree murder.

A shiver suddenly went down his wings as he felt eyes wandering across his form from the crowd. Glancing around, he could not tell where it had originated from – he could not feel the presence of Kaito’s soul, and neither did he seemed corporal to anyone but the other angels.

His gaze eventually wandered to a window on the second level as he saw a movement. With a slight curiosity, he materialized inside the warehouse a moment later as he stood behind a woman dressed in black. She had long, light-blond hair and piercing blue eyes.

“Its going to be a massacre,” she suddenly spoke up, and from the evident of the seemingly empty room, she was talking to herself. The closest was an older man cleaning is gun with calm and practiced fingers in the far corner. “Isn’t it?” she finished as her eyes flickered in the direction of Shinichi.

The angel froze for a moment with jolted surprise, wondering if he had turned visible by accident once more. However, after a few second of silence as no one else reacted to his presence, he relaxed slightly, believing it to be a coincidence.  

“I’m going to miss smoking,” she continued, letting a hand rake through the locks of her hair as she turned to face Shinichi while leaning her elbow against the windowsill. “I can’t say I regretted it for a moment. Being human is fun.”

The bafflement in his expression made her lips curl upwards in amusement. “I thought you were here for me? Perhaps I won’t die today after all.”

The woman’s word was barely comprehensible to him: what exactly did she mean by her words? He must have said it out loud, because a moment later she laughed. Her hair fluttered from the movement, despite it barely being a throaty chuckle at the expense of his confusion.

“You angels are all the same, unable to think for yourself. You never had a reason to.”

Shinichi’s eyebrows creased at her words. “I don’t understand, can you see me?”

She rolled her eyes, however it was not a movement from aggravation, rather one of amused expectation of predicting his response. “I thought it was obvious by now,” she drawled, before reaching to her pocket to withdraw a package of cigarettes.

“That doesn’t really explain anything.”

Her lips curled upwards once more in amusement as she drew a stick and placed it on her lips. “It’s a biproduct,” she lit it and took a deep inhale. “Of becoming human,” she continued with an exhale of smoke, her eyes examining him behind her eyelids with orbs that seemed to almost glow.

The vivacious hum of her soul suddenly changed, became deeper as it spread across her shoulders in a mimic of broken winds. The colour was a misty brown, and pulsated with the beat of an angel’s immortal soul, before quieting down as though it was a straining effort as it turned a bluish-green as it turned fully human. However, now that Shinichi was aware of it, the difference was unmistakably.

“What are you?” he asked before he could stop himself. She was clearly not an angel, however she did not seem to be entirely human either.

She took another deep inhale of her cigarette before removing it from her lips and let it hang limply between her index and middle finger. “A secret makes a woman, woman. Didn’t you know?” her eyes glowed with smugness – she was clearly not going to ease his stupefaction.

“Vermouth,” someone appeared by the door, his eyes a steely grey. He was also clad in black, with long, silver hair and wore a fedora. “Its starting.” He disappeared a moment later.

With a sight, the woman threw the cigarette on the floor before stomping on the stub. She turned towards Shinichi once more with a last, secretive smile before leaving. “If I die, you’ll get your answers.”

The angel watched her go, feeling confused curiosity bubbling in his chest. Exactly who was she, and how was she able to see him. Either she was messing with him and was some kind of ethereal creature pretending to be human – or could she have been an angel-turned human? He shook his head a moment later, the very idea was impossible. He had never heard about a case where it happened.

An explosion rocketed through the warehouse, and the conflict started soon after with the sound of gunfight followed by the distressed calls of dying souls. The Angels of death watched in silence on the side lines as men and woman alike was gunned down. Shinichi looked away from the massacre as he spotted a familiar figure creeping through the shadows, seemingly looking for something as he ignored the enemy that wasn’t in his direct cross-path.

The angel decided to follow him as he felt the thick smog of death clinging to his presence. Shu was several feet in front of him as he disappeared behind a corner, and as Shinichi stepped into view, he was already fighting the silver haired man from earlier. Their expression was tight with fury and determination as they parried fists and kicks as though they were dancing.

Nothing verbal was shared between them but the occasionally grunt as though their fists spoke a language Shinichi could not identify. Both men seemed determined to take the other downs, and that took priority.

The silver-haired man suddenly dropped one of his arms, giving Shu the opportunity to hit him in the face. It was a fatale mistake as a ferocious grin spread across his enemy’s lips. The silver-haired had dropped his hand to grab a small knife from his sleeve, and instead of staggering back from the hit, he moved forwards in order to stab the small dagger into Shu’s side.

A loud crunching noise filled the air as his nose was broken and blood started to seep down his face. The pain did not seemed to bother him for a moment as he twisted the knife, before kicking Shu in the stomach.

Shu deflated like a balloon as he was tripped, and he fell harshly on his back. A small gasp was forced from his throat, however he never got the chance to get to his feet, as the Silverman took advantage of the situation. A foot tramped down on the agent’s chest to keep him from moving. A moment later, a gun was hovering above his head.

“I finally got you, Akai,” he grinned wildly with the triumph of someone enjoying killing, however Akai did not flinch for a minute as he met his glare with one with equal force. That was not a look of someone who felt defeated.

“You misunderstand, Gin,” Akai replied smoothly as he grabbed Gin’s leg. “I’m the one who got you.”

Alarm suddenly flickered across the man’s face from the ferocious expression, and he made to withdraw, however Akai refused to give him an inch as he reached down to his pocket.

“Let go of me,” Gin snarled, his finger itched against the trigger of his gun in uncertainty: part of him wanted to shoot his adversary there and then, the other part was curious of what would happen.

Akai fished something from his pocket, and with a gaze that never wavered from Gin’s face, he spoke for the last time. “I never intended for either of us to survive,” and before realization appeared in the Silver-haired man’s face, Akai had already removed the pin with his teeth before he set off the grenade.

The explosion thundered in Shinichi’s ears, and Gin was thrown off Akai and his body hit the concrete wall with a sickening noise. Chemicals sizzled off their body as the fire burned – and the angel was suddenly glad he did not have a sense of smell.

With almost a sigh, their souls dimmed with an indication that their bodies were expired. Shinichi scratched his chin as he looked around – everything had happened so suddenly and chaotically, and despite the loud boom, it had gone unnoticed by the clutter from outside. He felt the hum of angels moving through the other rooms, as they reflected off his energy, they retreated to focus on other souls in the need of reaping, leaving Shinichi alone.

He removed his gloves slowly, feeling hesitant to dip into their memories – wondering what terrible things he would discover that was the root of their hatred for each other. Somewhere, deep down, he had started to feel reluctant towards his job. Perhaps this was why Angels were indifferent towards humans – it made their job easier. His thoughts flashed back to the small angel who had reaped of the soul of the cat he had found. If he sympathized for his subjects, then nothing would be efficient anymore. Too many died every day to care about everyone.

With an internal sigh, he brushed his fingers against Akai’s chin, before moving to Gin. Their memories flashed across his mind, however he pushed them away to keep from drowning in them. The only thing that shimmered on the surface was a common desire for a last puff of nicotine – of all their differences, it seemed the only thing they had in common. He thought back on the strange woman named Vermouth as his eyes fell on a half-empty carton laying forgotten on a bench.

Something bubbled in his chest – and he was not entirely sure what governed his actions as he suddenly stepped forwards, reached out and pocketed the item. He looked around almost guiltily – not sure what the repercussions of stealing something would be. In the past, he had only been received objects freely given. However, with the souls’ memories reflecting off the walls with dark colours, he could not find himself to feel remorseful for the harmless theft.

…

That was how he found himself hours later leaning his weight against the red railing of a small bridge in a park. Underneath him, the white and golden koi-fish tried to taste the pink Sakura flowers that floated innocently on the surface of the water. A gaggle of kids were playing by the trees, and as he watched, they trampled over a few flowers in their game of tag.

He lit the cigarette he had perched between his lips, and he inhaled as he had seen humans do before. He almost imagined he could feel the smoke tingling down his throat and filling his lungs, before exhaling. The vapour was a smoky grey, and he could not help the twitch of his lips in fascination of being able to see the evidence of his own breath – his breathing never turned white in cold weather from the lack of body heat.

He wondered exactly where the smoke went when he did not have any lungs – nor any organs as his body was a mere shell. Inhaling again, he decided to try it out as he took a deep breath of air, before exhaling once more. He kept respiring deeply until deep-red electricity coloured the grey vapour as his energy escaped.

The picture was so surreal, and he gasped out in throated laughter – he had never known he could respire soul-energy by accident.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you laugh.”

Shinichi dropped the cigarette in surprise at the voice, and it fell from his fingers and down into the water underneath. A large koi-fish brushed against it to check if it was edible. A familiar presence washed across him with eager but warm greeting. He did not have to turn around to know who approached him – and he was slightly baffled of how he had not felt Kaito’s strong soul earlier.

“Maybe you are just not a funny person.”

The thief snorted in disbelief, “I’m plenty funny, I’ll have you know. It’s the most important trait of an upcoming neo-magician. Are you saying I suck at my job?”

The angel’s lips twitched upwards at the accusing tone. “No comment.”

Kaito pushed his hip against Shinichi in indignancy. “You should become a stand-up comedian,” he retorted drily, and Shinichi finally turned to face him with an almost impish expression.

“Or I could take your job. According to you, I already have half of the requirement down. Learning magic tricks should be easy –“

Kaito’s face darkened, and his lips tightened slightly into what resembled a pout. However, the glow in his eyes portrayed his amusement. He wore a dark-blue vest on top of a shirt and a pair of jeans. In his hand, he held two cups. “I’m starting to regret buying you coffee.”

At the surprise in Shinichi’s face, he lowered his eyelids and peered at him only shily. “I saw you earlier, and thought I might as well.” He hesitantly held out one of the cups as though he expected the angel to refuse. “I wasn’t sure how you liked it, so I got a couple of sweeteners –“

Baffled at the offer, Shinichi carefully accepted the cup. He could not feel the warmth of the liquid against his fingertips, and for a moment he wished he could. “I –“ he swallowed slightly as his soul fluttered against the ribcage. “Thank you.”

Kaito reached to his pocket and fished up a handful of small cups filled with portions of milk and syrup, however his gaze never strayed from Shinichi in wonderment as his cheeks pinked with fascination. “Why is it you are always so surprised whenever someone give you anything – “ he bit his lips immediately as Shinichi looked away.

“Sorry,” he mumbled a moment later,” I didn’t mean to pry.”

The angel did not reply as an awkward silence throbbed between them. He was constantly aware of how clearly different he was to humans, and it made him increasingly discomforted whenever it was pointed out. He was playing a dangerous game.

“I think its one of your more charming traits,” Kaito spoke louder now, and he dipped his nose towards the sky with a smile curling on his lips showing he had not meant the comment as anything negative. “Your constant curiosity and amazement at the simplest of things. Most people have grown so indifferent to life, you know. While you keep that childish curiosity over life that all kids have. I’m always jealous.”

Shinichi glanced down at the cup clutched in his hands pondering the magician’s words. He could understand the sentiments – existence grew tiering without new experiences. He had been there – however Kaito was wrong in his belief. Interacting with the mortal world was new to him, however he did not know how to explain that.

“Are you religious?” Kaito spoke after a minute of silence, and the angel glanced at him in the corner of his eyes. Every time they met lately, he had been asking personal questions – seemingly trying to get to know Shinichi.

“I think its better to have ideas,” he replied after a moment of thought, thinking back on everything he had seen and experienced over the centuries. “Mankind keeps taking good ideas and create a belief structure out of it.”

The magician frowned, however his expression was curious rather than malicious. “So, you are saying having beliefs is a bad thing?”

He shook his head, “Not at all. I just think it's better to have an idea. You can change an idea; changing a belief is trickier. People die for it, and they kill for it,” he said slowly. “Life should be malleable and progressive, working from idea to idea permits that.  Beliefs anchor you to certain points and limit growth: new ideas can't generate, and life becomes stagnant.”

Kaito looked thoughtful as a buff of wind brushed his hair into his temples. Under the bridge, the kids were now standing at the river-shore and throwing stones in the water that skipped across the surface. Fascinated at the phenomena, he stepped off the bridge and Kaito followed him automatically.

As he stepped on the stony path, the kids scrambled away as though they had done something illegal and was going to reprimanded, however all the angel did was to lean down to grab a stone. Flexing his wrist, he threw the stone into the water. It landed with a large splash that sent rings across the still water.

He dropped his arm in disappointment. Clearly the phenomena needed some technique he was unaware of.

“I never thought about it like that,” Kaito finally spoke as his eyes followed the angel’s movement with soft affection. “You are saying it doesn’t really matter whether or not God exist, as long as the ideas of morality is followed.”

Shinichi rolled his shoulders, suddenly feeling as though he had spoken too much. He knew for a certain that the entity humans called God existed – but not in the sentient form they imagined. It was difficult to explain, and he knew shouldn’t continue with the subject.

“If you could wish for anything, what would you want,” the angel asked after a moment of racking his brain for a question.

Kaito tilted his head slightly, his eyes portraying that he understood the angel’s desire to change the topic, and affection flickered across his features once more with pleasant surprise – it was the first time Shinichi had asked him a question back, and he seemed pleased at the exchange.

“I’d like to fly,” he took a sip of his coffee. “I mean, really fly. The hang-gliding is fun and all, but imagined if I had wings and could feel the wind underneath my feathers, or fly with telepathic abilities or however it works. I’m not really picky.”

Kaito’s expression seemed wishful as a soft smile curled on his lips as his eyes flickered towards a bird that happened to fly by as he spoke. Shinichi’s wings spread out on their own accord and fluttered just above the mortal’s shoulder almost as though they were a part of him and wanted to grant his wish.

His smile curled upwards in an impish grin a moment later. “Its tempting to pick immortality though. Everyone wants to live forever, so you won’t be afraid of death and ceasing to exist. Imagining everything you could learn in a life time, and everyone you could meet. I wouldn’t mind either.”

Shinichi looked down on the lid of his cup, and his fingers twitched as he pushed against the plastic. “You wouldn’t like it,” he spoke softly. At Kaito’s curious expression, he explained, “immortality I mean.”

“If you think people have grown stagnant and indifferent to certain things now, imagining how boring eternity will be once you have experienced everything. Living forever is a curse I doubt you’d enjoy.”

Kaito’s expression fell as he realized the angel had taken his joke seriously, and he reached up to scratch his cheek in embarrassment. “Yeah, I suppose you are right –“

“You’ll live till you are 85, surrounded by your grand kids after a fully lived life,” Shinichi continued with a promised, forcing his lips to curl upwards in order to lift the mood.

The magician grinned slightly, and the sun reflected off the water to shimmer in his eyes. His soul seemed to almost blaze in enjoyment and affection. “If it doesn’t come to pass, I’ll hunt you detective.”

“Deal,” the angel hummed with an answering smile.

“So, how about you?” Kaito tilted his head in curiosity, “what would you wish for?”

Shinichi glanced down at the cup in his hand, and as he replied he knew he voiced the truth. “I wish I could taste the flavour of this coffee.”

Kaito’s face faltered in sympathy, suddenly realizing his mistake asking earlier how he liked to consume the liquid. Before the angel could react, the mortal stepped into his comfort zone with arms stretched out.

Shinichi froze in alarm, the volume of his voice increasing in surprise, “what are you doing?”

“I’m giving you a hug,” the magician replied unrelentingly as he embraced the angel. Shinichi could feel his soul pulsate against the angel in the mimic of a heartbeat, and his own soul mirrored the response as he felt a pleasant shiver raked through him from his toes to the tip of his wings. Something warm fluttered in his chest, and he could almost imagine the feeling of Kaito’s breath against his neck.

Electricity jolted through their souls as Kaito’s chin brushed against his cheek accidently, colouring the mortal’s soul red as the angel’s energy leaked into the other from the touch, and something inside of him thrummed with the need to be even closer –

With a gasp, he wrestled himself out of the embrace, dropping his coffee as he did. The lid burst as the cup hit the ground, and the dark liquid spread across the pebbled road.

Kaito froze, his arms spending a second too long to fall as his eyed widened with too many emotions for the angel to comprehend. “I – I’m sorry –“

Shinichi did not let him finish as he reeled back, his wings fluttering wildly as he did, and his chest heaved as he respired too quickly. This was wrong – he was not allowed to touch the living, and he was thankful that the redness of his soul evaporated from Kaito’s the moment their contact had been cut.

Not knowing what else to do, the angel turned to flee to get some distance between them – he did not know what the repercussions of elongated contact was, however he would not take the consequences. Mortals simply could not handle the energies of an angel –

“Wait! Detective –“ Kaito called after him, and he could hear the sound of footsteps following him.

With a grimace, Shinichi disappeared behind a corner. Seeing as there were no curious eyes watching him, he turned incorporeal immediately. He stopped in his tracks and laid a hand against his chest as he felt his soul continue to flutter in distress. He only half turned to watch as Kaito reached the corner and came to an abrupt stop as his eyes flickered wildly around trying to spot him.

“Shit, where did he go,” he mumbled to himself as he raked a hand through his hair, and made it looked more messy then usual. “Why did I do that –“

The angel looked away and forced himself off the mortal plane, not wishing to pry into the magician’s privacy while invisible. It seemed unfair, and he did not like the thought of not being seen by Kaito.

…

The moment he materialized on the rooftop he felt a heavy weight on his shoulders. A tight feeling accumulated in his chest and he grabbed the fabric of his coat above the chest in surprise at the sudden feeling. The humming of death thrummed like electricity across his wings and made his feathers bristle uncomfortably.

A breath of wind made his clothes flutter sharply, and the falling snow brushed past him almost playfully. The snow had come early this year, he thought quietly to himself, despite it still being fall. He had watched a few children playing in the street hours earlier and making snowmen. To his amusement, one of their snowballs had passed straight through him during their snowball fight, and he had been curious about the texture of snow. He had never cared much about it in the past: seen it too many times.

And yet, the mortals saw the phenomena every year and their fascination never ceased. Perhaps his inability to play in the snow was what had caused his indifference to it – he was sure the allure must lay in the ability to craft snowmen and snow forts and throw them at their friends.

His silent musing was interrupted as his eyes finally focused on a familiar figurine ahead. Kaito’s cape fluttered widely behind him, and his soul cast a blue and purple light across the already fallen snow in wonderment. It pulsated with more sensations than Shinichi had thought it were capable of as excited greeting wavered through him in a feeling he could only describe as: _glad to see you again._

Clasped in Kaito’s hand was a large gemstone he was holding up towards the moonlit sky. Shinichi had to squint with curiosity as it seemed to be glowing in too many shades of red to be distinguishable by the sight of humans. It was a glowing, pulsating colour like the energy that mapped up that of angels.

“What is that?” the question had left his lips before he was aware, and Kaito flinched for a moment, seemingly not having sensed his arrival.

“This, detective,” the thief sounded almost out of breath, his voice thick with emotions as he started to turn around. Only to come to an abrupt stop with wild eyes widening in shock. The expression sent a shiver through the angel, and his wings drew to their full size behind him on their own accord.

Kaito balked backwards until his thighs hit the railing and forced him to stop, with his other hand he was clutching the gem against his chest as it seemed to be hurting him. “What the – what,” his voice was impossibly thin and raspy as disbelief shone in his face, and the moon gleamed off his monocle, making the expression in his eyes impossible to distinguish.

“What are you?”

The shaking question had Shinichi turn his head towards his wings in stupefied curiosity – how was it possible that Kaito could see his wings? It could be the only possibility from the human’s reaction. His stomach dropped in disbelief, it simply couldn’t be possible – he was not allowed to reveal his identity. No matter the amount of desire to be seen and interact with the fascinating human world, he could never in his wildest imagination even consider for a second to expose his wings.

Perhaps – and he really hoped it was the case or else he would be in big trouble – it was that strange gemstone that allowed Kaito to see him in his true form. This meant Shinichi had one of two options, pretend it was a costume and try not to move his wings any longer, or he could leave and never return. Finally having crossed the stage of no return.

Something twisted inside of him at the very thought of saying goodbye – meeting Kaito had been the outmost fascinating event of his existence. Both exhilarating and baffling and made the monotone of his existence more interesting as he played with the idea that he could come to understand the humans one day.

However, he knew, logically, that their days together had been numbered from the start. Years had already past – Kaito would be twenty already, and he would sooner or later notice that the angel did not age. Perhaps it was better to cut their connections now before more awkward questions could be asked – such as to the matter of his identity.

“You are an angel, aren’t you,” the thief’s expression was open and searching as his gaze were fully focused on him. Now that the initial shock had faded, fascination rippled across his features and he was just about to take a step towards Shinichi, when a loud familiar sound echoed across the rooftop.

Kaito wore an open expression, a small smile curling on his lips before a stripe of blood splattered against his cheek as his shoulder were jerked backwards. The last thing Shinichi saw before he fell backwards and over the railing was shock.

Without thinking, Shinichi impulsively dashed forwards. Something rippled through his soul, but he ignored it as he threw himself over the edge. His wings clutched against his sides as he plunged towards the ground blindingly fast. He only got the glimpse of disbelief in Kaito as he caught him, wrapping his arms around the human’s waist. Kaito’s souls thrummed against him like a beating heart.

With his quarry caught, he threw his wingspan out as he soared upwards with powerful beats of his wings. A thrill jolted through his feathers in excitement – he could not remember the last time he had flown. Perhaps in the beginning of time when everything was new and curious. In the ancient times, he had heard tales that angels used to fly in the garden of Eden freely.

Snow blew into his face and obscured his vision, and he had to blink in order to evade an upcoming building. It seemed as he could not become incorporeal as long as he was carrying Kaito. With the remembrance of his companion, he glanced down at the thief. Kaito’s were wild and large, but not from fear – rather childish glee and fascination as his hands gripped around Shinichi’s arms in case the angel accidently dropped him.

“You can fly – actually properly fly. This is nothing like hang-gliding,” his voice was filled with awe, and Shinichi could not bring himself to drag his gaze from the mortal’s face. Once again something pulsated with a fluttering feeling in his chest. 

It was not before Kaito started to cough heavily – every inhale of breath seems to rattle in his chest – that the angel remembered their predicament. A splat of blood stained his sleeves. His stomach sank at the sight and he started to look around for somewhere to land. They were already far enough from the heist and the assassins.

Spotting an empty rooftop, he started his descent as his wings made the snow spiral from the shifting air. He landed softly and let his knees buckle underneath him as Kaito fell heavily against him until the thief’s head was nestled in his lap. His wings spread protectively around them to keep the falling snow from landing on the Kaito’s face.

In the last few minutes, his face had paled and lips started to turn blue – and the angel was unsure whether or not it was due to the cold or blood loss. His lips parted slightly as his hand reached up towards Shinichi, before noticing he was still clutching the gem in his hand as it fell back on top of his chest.

“You saved me.”

Shinichi forced his gaze away as he burned with shame. “I didn’t,” he hadn’t. Death’s bell still chimed powerful in his ears and sent waves of beckoning sensations through his wingspan. He was still dying – all he had done was to draw-out the inevitable. It had been selfish of him to jump after Kaito – he had no idea what he had been thinking. Perhaps he had not been thinking at all.

All he knew was that he had not wanted the thief to end his life as a splat on the concrete – it was a degrading death that did not fit someone who earned to fly.

“Thank you,” the earnestness in his voice did nothing to chase the angel’s remorse over his actions.

Kaito’s eyes burned into his and the indigo of his pupilss seemed to almost glow on their own accord. His soul seemed to shimmer brightly then ever like a star knowing it would soon extinguish and refused to go without a last fanfare.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?” Despite the rasping voice it did not shake as his eyes tried to gauge the truth from the angel’s features. When Shinichi did not immediately reply, he licked his lips. “When I was a child – I suddenly remember. I’ve always thought it was a dream.”

Shinichi’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. He had never considered the option that the boy would have any memories of him. He had been traumatized and exhausted. With the demanding stare for answers, and the knowledge that the human was going to die anyway, Shinichi decided to tell the truth as he inclined his head slightly to confirm his suspicion – surely he would not be blamed for his actions when Kaito would never be able to tell a living soul?

“Why didn’t you save my dad?”

The angel expected anger from him, however there was no malicious intend in his voice as his eyes dipped down sluggishly once before widening in an effort to keep conscious. Honest curiosity flickered in his eyes.

“I couldn’t,” Shinichi replied without regret, would not make any excuses. “Death was calling for him.”

“But you saved me.”

He felt his eyelids flutter at the tender tone. “Your father – his soul asked me to as I reaped himl.”

Kaito chuckled, a deeps rich tone that ended in a violent cough. “Dad – even looking after me in the afterlife,” he finally managed to rasp once the fit ended. “Thank you, detective.”

Something tightened in Shinichi’s chest, he was not certain why, but suddenly hearing a nickname from the mortal sounded wrong. “Shinichi,” his lips parted before he was consciously aware of speaking. “My name is Shinichi.”

Kaito’s eyes widened slightly in acknowledgment of his words, and his lips curled upwards as he rolled the name on his tongue. “Shinichi.”

Warmth flooded through the angel’s soul and body at the way he pronounced his name – the very first time any living being had spoken it. It seemed almost forbidden and thrilling to be acknowledged fully for who he was – an existing entity with a name. It almost made him feel alive.

Almost unbiddenly, his eyes fell to the gem still clutching against the thief’s chest. It was no longer glowing red as the clouds with snow now obscured the full moon, however he could feel a slow pressure in his mind as he gazed at it with curiosity. He had never seen anything like it.

“That gem you have there,” he licked his lips slowly, unable to contain his curiosity. “Is that what you have been searching for?”

Kaito’s eyes darted down to the stone, and his hand clutched around it tightly as evident from the whiteness of his knuckles. “This is Pandora,” he almost sighed with tension and relief. “An organization is after it. They killed my dad for it – and shot me.” He hesitated for a second as his gaze settled once more into the angel’s features. “Have you ever heard about it? They believe Pandora bestow immortality.”

Shinichi shook his head immediately, he had no knowledge of any magical gemstones that granted immortality to humans. It seemed impossible to cheat death – he had never heard of a single situation where it had happened. “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

Kaito’s lips only curled downwards in disappointment, but he did not prod any further on the topic as his chest heaved painfully as he coughed up another mouthful of blood. His face twisted into a painful expression. He suddenly grabbed after the angel’s shirt as he lifted Pandora towards Shinichi.

“Can you do me a favour,” he rasped out with hopeful desperation. “Keep Pandora hidden. In the hands of angels, they will never find her.”

Shinichi hurryingly grabbed his wrist as his hand started to falter from the lack of energy to keep it steady. He curled his fingers around the gemstone, letting his fingers brush against the thief’s. It sent another electric sparkle through their souls as they vibrated it almost in the same speed.

“I’ll keep her safe,” he promised – it was the least he could do for someone he considered the closest he could ever get to a friend. Making sure whoever shot Kaito would never get the Pandora was the only kind of revenge either of them could get.

The thief’s hand fell back on his chest heavily as he had no longer any vigour to keep it up, his eyes fluttered before falling close as his breathing stilled for a fraction of a moment that sent Shinichi’s wings fluttering wildly in distress.

“Am I dying?” Kaito’s voice were a mere whisper of a breath.

“Yes,” the angel replied, not knowing what else do to in this situation. With the cat, he had caressed her fur in comfort, however he was not sure if it was appropriate to do the same with a human.

He did not expect the soft chuckle in response, “at least you are honest.”

A shiver of guilt jolted through him once more, and he let his eyes waver in remorse over his egoistic actions. “I’m sorry for making you suffer slowly. I just –“

“It’s alright,” he cut him off with a curl of his lips. “I don’t mind. It gives me a few more minutes to know you – and get explanations. Tell me, what’s heaven like?”

“You think you’ll go to heaven,” Shinichi joked, unable to describe the afterlife in human tongues.

Kaito snorted as his eyes fluttered open to gaze in disbelief up at the angel for teasing, “A boy can dream, can’t he? You sure suck at this reassuring the dying you know.”

Shinichi’s smile faltered, and he bit his cheek in remorse for the badly timed joke. “I’m sorry. I don’t have any personal experience.”

The thief let out a groan as he rolled his eyes. “God –“ he mumbled in incredulity. “if I wasn’t dying, I’d ask you out.”

His soul fluttered widely all of a sudden at the unexpected response, his lips parted a few times, before he sputtered out the first thing that came to mind. “I can’t consume human food. I don’t have a digestive system –“

“Just a movie then,” Kaito did not missed a beat as his cheeks flustered and his eyes glittered as his soul pulsated a deep, sparkling blue as he had somehow regained some of his life force from share willpower. “I’ll eat all the popcorn on my own. Or to a carnival. Everyone loves the carnival.”

Shinichi wasn’t sure how to reply, feeling once more out of depth wondering if the mortal was teasing or not. However the magician seemed to glow from sincerity and eagerness – however there was a shimmer of sadness bubbling underneath the façade. Perhaps from the knowledge it would never happen, as their reality was thus: Kaito was slowly bleeding out on his lap – slower then Shinichi had anticipated, and he wondered perhaps if the mortal was still alive simply because their souls were beating in the same pace as he willed his heart to keep beating just for a little while longer.

“Why,” he finally managed to reply, his eyebrows knitting in confusion. Why him of all people, he was no one special.

Kaito must have seen the real question on his face, as his features softened with a fond smile. “Cause I like you: and you are utterly ridiculous. With your wit, and thoughtfulness that keeps surprising me and keep me on my toes. You are still wearing that stupid tie I bought you – I guess all that makes sense now,” he chuckled softly, “and my heart flutter every time you are around. You are special and different. I feel it in here,” he added, tapping a finger against his chest. “Like my soul heats up whenever you are near.”

Shinichi tilted his head in curiosity – he had never considered if humans could sense each other’s souls. Had never seen any indication of it, and yet the mortal did not hesitate to say – “I know your soul always greats me. It’s how I always know it’s you.”

Kaito’s cheeks seemed to have darkened, and an impish grin stretched across his lips. “Maybe we are soulmates.”

The angel pondered at that for a short moment, it certainly seemed as they were. Always greeting each other in eagerness from the very start. He had never considered the possibility. “Soulfriends – I like the sound of that.”

The thief’s expression softened again, and he mumbled tenderly as though he was unsure whether or not he had spoken out loud. “I think I love you,” when confusion flickered across the angel’s face, he continued. “Do you know what it means?”

Shinichi shook his head slowly in honesty, he had tried to comprehend the foreign emotion. However from all evidence he had gathered it seemed to be something void of definition and logic. “I’m not sure,” he replied with honesty.

Kaito’s lips quirked upwards in endearment over the fact he was always so sincere. “It’s difficult to explain really. It’s a feeling of affection and wanting to spend time with someone. Its liking someone for their flaws, not blaming them for it. But that doesn’t really differentiate it much from friendship does it?” he licked his lips slowly as his eyes gazed up at the wings hovering protectively above him with thoughtful fascination.

“Most of all, it’s a feeling I guess, like a fluttering feeling in your chest – or maybe it’s your soul? I’m not entirely sure about all this metaphysical crap really. All I know is that I care about you deeply – and it’s easier to know why feel like this then to explain it,” his voice trailed out in thought as his voice turned drowsy.

Shinichi pondered at the explanation – perhaps Kaito was right. It was not a logical definition, rather a feeling deep in your being then simply knew without any need to justify. He cared for the mortal deeply, more than he could ever describe. He could name the reason he enjoyed Kaito’s company – his wit, the way he smiled, how his eyes shimmered with affection only for Shinichi and how he had accepted the fact he was an angel without a second of doubt.

Something was both fluttering and burning in his chest at the same time as their gaze didn’t break. There was a silent understanding between them, and somehow Shinichi knew that Kaito felt the same – felt lost and empty and not whole whenever they were apart.

“Can I ask for another favour?”

“Anything,” Shinichi replied immediately, his voiced rushed as he could feel Kaito’s life form slowly ebb as his soul had started to dim in strength.

“Go out with me?” the thief’s voice was a mere breath, “just for as long as I live – be my boyfriend.”

If Shinichi had been breathing, he would have exhaled deeply in jolted surprise at the request – he had long since given up the pretence of being human. “Okay,” tumbled from his mouth clumsily, having no idea about the correct etiquette for this. He had no experience with relationships at all.

A shadow of a smile grazed Kaito’s lips as his eyes fluttered shut for the last time. His chest heaved heavily with a rattling noise as a dark patch of blood spread across the whiteness of his suit. A few stray snowflakes fluttered down on his nose as they evaded the confine of the angel’s wings. Shinichi would have done anything to freeze time and stretch out the seconds indefinitely as Kaito’s soul dimmed to a silent hum.

Shinichi dipped his head over Kaito’s and felt his eyes burn with sad regret – for a moment he wondered if he regretted everything – regretted saving him as a child and start this avalanche of emotions and moments of experiencing the human world. A part of him did not want to continue for eternity without seeing the mortal’s smile, of hearing his warm laughter shiver down his spine pleasantly.

He remembered their conversation from weeks ago, how he had told Kaito he would live till he was eighty-five surrounded by family, and how the sun had reflected off the magician’s hair and the way his soul and blossomed warmly at the angel’s words.

Shinichi wished he had been right now – dying at the age of twenty was too young, he had hoped for half a century more. However, he had given Kaito a decade longer to live, and he could not find himself to regret giving it to him.

The angel removed his right glove with his teeth before letting his bare fingertips brush against the thief’s cheeks. He wished he could feel the texture of his skin, feel the clamminess from the cold air, and feel the beating of life. Most of all he wished he could have been mortal and not feel the becoming death chiming in his ears – if he hadn’t, he would have flown Kaito to the hospital and saved his life. However, as an angel of death, he could not. It was not in his right to change fate.

He had felt this regret before, but not to this degree, not with his soul crying for the loss of his friend. He poured his grief into the touch as he trailed his fingers across Kaito’s cheeks and hair, wanting more than anything to feel any sensation that proved he existed – that he was alive in the way Kaito always looked at him. Like he mattered.

_“I don’t want you to die,”_ the wish came tumbling out of his mouth in a rush as he for the first time desired something in his life. Energy within his chest pulsated in a heating blaze as the words were spoken. It was an egoistic wish, but it was his.

“I don’t want you to die, Kaito. Not like this,” he repeated louder as he heard bells chiming in his ears and his feathers fluttered in a frenzy. Unconsciously, his energy burst through his fingertips where his bare hand was touching the mortal’s cheek. Bright light blinded his vision as he gasped out at the sudden rush of energy that burned through him.

Kaito’s soul flashed as it increased and responded to the touch, and feeling of vitality and cheerful laughter waved through the angel stronger then he had ever felt before. The familiar, thrilling sound drowned out the death chimes.

There were suddenly movement in his lap as he heard a sharp inhale of breath, and hands suddenly grasped against his. “Shinichi?” Kaito mumbled with a strong voice from what felt like a distance away: there were no trace of pain and tire that had echoed through their entire conversation.

Shinichi felt like he was drowning in the blinding light as he started to feel light-headed and disjointed to his body. There was a push against his energy – he could not see anything, only a burning brightness. He tried to reply, however he could not find his voice, nor could he move his hands. His wings didn’t flutter, rather there was a rush of static in his ears.

“Shinichi!” was the last thing he heard as his consciousness was dragged away.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear this story was supposed to be under 10K long, that promise didn’t last very long. Special thanks to everyone on the Kaishin discord server for supporting this ridiculous plot idea. And Shrio for her amazing art.
> 
> Wordcount: 5839
> 
> Published: 14.02. 2018
> 
> Unbetaed.

 

**_ Chapter 5 _ **

The world was a white non-scape as he materialized, nothing visible up and down as the energies of his soul stretched across the eternal plane. In the far distance, strong, pulsating energies responded to his presence, and sent a wave of non-verbal greeting jolting across him. A few second later, a second, darker form acknowledged him.

For a moment, nothing happened, before land suddenly started to stretch underneath them, like paint from a brush as one of the angels formed the landscape. It lacked distinguishable traits and the few trees resembled blobs that children would draw – and in only shades of purple.

Understanding the intention, Shinichi collected his energy, and in his mind’s eye he pictured the human-looking body he had been using for more centuries than he could count. Energy shimmered around him as he forced his soul to take human form. For a moment, a jolt of pain raked through him as his energy resisted being stuffed into a shell far too small to contain it, and the wings sprout from his shoulders where they leaked.

He fluttered his eyelids open, and found himself hovering above the indigo-coloured grass, neither standing or floating. The landscape was simply an illusion of a form in order to create some direction of up and down in a plane where the laws of human physics did not exist.

“ _Shin-chan,”_ a soft voice called out, and he turned around to face the angels that had summoned him, and created the world in order to hold a conversation – why they had decided to do so in human form, he did not know.

“Yukiko,” he greeted the angel, and he nodded his head slightly in respect. He did not recognize the body she was wearing. She looked to be in her late thirties with curly, light brown hair framing her petite looking face. Behind her, stood Yuusaku – one of the Angel of Death supervisors. His dark eyes were hidden behind a pair of glasses and why he had chosen to wear impractical accessory, Shinichi did not know either.

“Shin-chan,” Yukiko repeated once more, her hand reaching up to her mouth with worry shimmering in her eyes. She had always been such a vigorous and eccentric angel – being a muse and all. And she seemed to have taken him under her wings centuries ago for reasons he had never comprehended.

“What happened?” he decided to ask instead, his mouth feeling dry for no apparent reason. He did not know how or why he had been summoned to this dimension so forcefully, nor why these angels were expecting him.

Yukiko glanced in Yuusaku’s direction – he had not yet said a single word except for the steel-hard gaze that did not flicker off Shinichi’s form for a moment.

“You saved the mortal’s life.”

He flinched at the words, a motion that had his wings beating behind him to keep from floating to the ground. Something heaved in his chest at the news. “That’s not possible –“

“Yet it happened,” came the unrelenting reply.

He shook his head in disbelief – he could not have saved Kaito’s life. It was impossible, he did not have a healing touch – his kind brought only death and destruction. And yet, he could not help the relief flooding through him at the knowledge that Kaito was alive. Somehow, his desperate wish had come true –

He swallowed thickly – a habit he had picked up from the mortal world – what would the repercussions of his actions be? He had never known a case where angels had defied their nature, was there even a penalising system in heaven? He tried to remember, but could not.

“I –“ he started, before hugging his torso almost defensive as though he expected someone to reach into him and destroy his soul as punishment. “I didn’t mean to.”

“We know,” Yukiko responded softly, her hand reaching out to comfort him, however retreated when he stiffened. “It’s not your fault.”

Shinichi searched their expressions in confusion – what did they mean by it not being his fault? Surely he was responsible, he was the one with the fevered wish for Kaito to live, and they had told him he had saved the mortal. He was guilty of breaking the only rule they had. Everyone died, no exceptions.

“I don’t understand.”

Yukiko and Yuusaku shared a look as a feeling of hesitancy raked through their souls. It confused Shinichi more, as he had never known any angels to be indecisive. Something was going on, and he could not even begin to comprehend it.

“It’s a – delicate situation,” Yukiko started, licking her lips, “we should have realized sooner.”

Shinichi looked between them with eyebrows knitting together in bewilderment. Before he could ask what they meant, she continued.

“Did you by any chance touch the mortal, bare skin against skin, while he was alive?”

If Shinichi had a stomach, it would have dropped, and he felt his face pale. He knew he shouldn’t have – it had been a thoughtless accident from when he had saved Kaito as a child. Had he been right with his caution? He knew he should not touch the living – but had never known the reason behind it. It was simply something everybody knew.

His reaction must have been all the answer she needed, because she swore loudly a minute later. Yuusaku glanced at her with a lifted eyebrow at her colourful phrasing, but no one commented on it.

“That’s the root of the problem, at least it can be fixed,” she nodded slightly to herself, ignoring their looks as she pinched her chin between her thumb and index finger in thought. Her companion only gave a short nod in agreement.

Shinichi felt like he was missing a vital piece of information to comprehend the situation, and he was starting to feel slightly annoyed at being kept in the dark. If something had happened – if he had hurt Kaito somehow with his thoughtless action – he needed to know.

“What is going on? What did I do?” he tried not to sound as though he was pleading as he tried to meet their eyes.

“You stole a piece of his soul,” Yuusaku finally spoke with a stoic expression, and he did not recoil as Yukiko elbowed him in the side with a frustrated noise as she sent him a dark look – she had apparently meant to explain it gentler. “The foreign soul has been changing you slowly. Mortal and immortality doesn’t mix well together. Right now, you are neither an angel nor mortal. You are defected.”

The voice throbbed like static in his ears as shock jolted through his body and made his wings quiver in discomfort. Something pulsated against his ribcage and he felt like gasping in pain. His knees would have buckled underneath him if gravity had existed. Instead he grabbed his shirt to keep from bursting as he forced himself not to lose the illusion of a body.

It explained everything – every desire and curiosity and animated response he had had the last few years. Before meeting Kaito, he had never been interested in the mortal world, had never had a need to reach out and be acknowledged. Had such a simple thing been the avalanching cause of everything? It was an impossible thought, and yet he knew it to be true.

This was why he had held the kitten against his chest unable to let go, while the angel coming for her soul had not shown a shred of sympathy or interest. Now that he had become aware of it, he closed his eyes to look inside of himself. Deep within the redness of his soul, he could feel something alien tainting his energies. Something that hummed with curiosity and desire and a familiar wave of joy – something so Kaito that for a moment he could sense the mortal as though he was standing right next to him.

“This is why you have been drawn to each other,” Yukiko’s sympathy echoed as though she was world’s away. “The pieces of the soul urging to be whole again, to return to its rightful owner. The feeling of emptiness in its absence.”

“No,” Shinichi finally stuttered out. He refused to believe it – did not want to acknowledge the fact he had stolen from Kaito. That all this had such a simple, logical explanation. So many wants and desires to taste the sunlight, and feel the sand underneath his toes and the rain against his cheeks – was not his, rather the poisonous wants from a piece of a mortal soul that desired to be human once more.

It felt like a cheap explanation, however he could tell the angels spoke the truth. Especially when he finally opened his eyes and could see their open expression and the sympathy wavering through their souls with sincerity.

“You can’t go on like this,” Yuusaku said with a stoic expression, however his lips twitched downwards. “It will destroy you.”

Shinichi looked away and raked a shivering hand through his hair – he knew his supervisor was correct, had felt it for months now. His energies had been starting to burst with emotions that was not supposed to be capable for angels. He could not have sympathy for the mortals he reaped – not if it caused him to go against fate like he did when he had saved Kaito.

If could no longer by an angel of death if he saved people – what would he be then?

“You have two options,” Yukiko had a soft voice as she tried to meet his eyes. Her lips curled upwards in a small smile. He glanced back at her with a feeling of relief at knowing he was not completely doomed – but also reluctant. Did he deserve salvation?

“This is a –“ she liked her lips slowly, before they curled up into an impish expression. Something secretive gleamed in her eyes as she continued, “tightly guarded secret. But there are ways for angels to turn human.”

Everything in Shinichi froze, his wings stiller than he had ever been able to make them, and his energy stopped moving inside of him. For a moment, his form started to flicker as he lost control over the mentally made image. With a sharp inhale, he forced himself back into the shell. “How –“ he barely managed to croak – it was a noise resonating through his soul more than an actual sound – and Yukiko and Yuusaku did not need the verbal utterance to hear him.

He had never dared to hope for even a fraction of a moment that he could turn mortal – it was an impossible idea. And now, learning he could? It threw him off balance with the prospect. If he turned human he could explore the mortal wold with the same freedom as they had – he could finally live and exist as his own entity. He could eat a meal with Hattori, taste cherries, feel the texture of snow –

He could return to Kaito and take him up on the offer –

His excitement subsided as his thoughts went back to the magician and turned into guilt. Could Kaito forgive him for stealing a part of his soul? Would he turn him away if he knew that they had been drawn to each other not because they were soulfriends, but because Shinichi had literally carried around a piece of his soul?

_“ – Pandora.”_

He was not entirely sure who had spoken, or the uttered sentence. His head was filled with soft static from his tumbling thoughts to keep attention to what he was told. As the word echoed through the non-scape, he held out his hand and the gemstone materialized in his hand. He had taken it with him as he had left.

Now, whoever, Pandora did no longer look like a glowing stone. Rather the red energies from the gem had seeped out and formed what resembled a living heart as it pulsated like a heartbeat in his hand. Whispers he could not comprehend filled his mind with promises.

“How,” he repeated louder this time, wanting to come to the conclusion and not hear the story behind the gem. He felt urgency ticking in his head and prickling across his wingspan. “How can I become human?”

Yukiko glanced at Yuusaku and back, she seemed uneasy for a moment from his reaction, and she seemed unsure on how to proceed. The other angel’s browns twitched slightly as his eyes raked Shinichi’s – what he was looking for, he did not know.

“By stripping you of your immortality and taking away your divine energies,” he tilted his head slightly, and if Shinichi had not known better, he would have identified the action as reluctance. “The mortal soul you already possess will take over completely. You will live and die as any human.”

It took him several seconds to comprehend what they were saying, and he shook his head slightly in disbelief. He could only turn mortal by using the piece he stole from Kaito? Was that the only possible way? The very idea felt wrong and gave his mouth a bad after taste.

His shoulders fell in defeat – “Only a mortal soul can die,” he mumbled softly to himself in realization. It made sense – they could not create a mortal soul, they could only be born. The only way foran  angel to become human was to steal it.

A desire which was impossible for immortals to feel unless they were already influenced by a mortal soul. It was a paradox – the wanting to be human and experience living at the cost of someone who was born. It was utterly unfair – but then again, when was life ever fair?

“And if I don’t?” he asked as though in a trance, his head filled with too many thoughts – of how unfair everything was, of how impossible his position was.

“The human soul will be extracted and given back to the owner,” Yukiko replied, her eyes swimming with sympathy and remorse. “That’s usually what happens immediately – but no one noticed the changes in you. It should never have gotten this far: altered you like this. We are so, so sorry, Shin-chan.”

He looked away, felt his eyes burning with unshed tears that could never fall. ‘ _Defected’_ they had called him, a freak mistake that should have been corrected. If he had known this from the start, he might have confessed to his actions when they happened years ago to stop the process before it had even begun.

Despite all of this, he longed to see Kaito again, to make sure he was alright. He wished he could take him up on the promise of going out – to see a limited amount of sunset and eat ice cream while feeling the sand underneath his feet. He wanted – _he wanted, not a piece inside of him, but him personally, Shinichi the angel_ – to experience living. To feel Kaito’s heartbeat underneath his fingertips.

But at what price?

Taking – _stealing_ – Kaito’s soul without giving the mortal an option. A part of him, selfishly wanted to, knowing he could, and he was not obligated to tell the magician. They could live a lifetime together – Surely he was in his right to keep it when he was the one who had saved Kaito –

He shook his head sharply, he could not be sure whether or not their affections for each other were real or if it was a bi-product of the fact that the pieces of Kaito’s soul was trying to be re-united. Turning human on false pretences felt wrong, and there was really only one right conclusion he could take –

But becoming an angel after this: was he really capable of reverting back to what he used to be? To watch the stream of time move forwards with indifference, without caring and joy from merely existing? He wanted to reel back in disgust at the very idea. He had seen too much, felt too much to go back to being a mere angel.

However, a part whispered softly in the back of his mind, once he was a pure angel again, he would no longer care about it. Like putting a cork on his feelings. He would no longer feel an impulse to seek Kaito out and talk to him – would never care whether or not the human lived or died –

He felt nauseated at the very thought – of not caring about Kuroba Kaito any longer. This whole thing was impossibly unfair – being an immortal angel seemed like a punishment from his point of view right at this moment.

He suddenly remembered the woman he had met a while back – Vermouth.

_“I’m going to miss smoking,” she continued, letting a hand rake through the locks of her hair as she turned to face Shinichi while leaning her elbow against the windowsill. “I can’t say I regretted it for a moment. Being human is fun.”_

The memory must have reflected in his soul, as Yuusaku seemed to be able to read it – there were no reason to keep secrets from other angels, and more often than not, conversations were not verbal, rather a share of essence and memories between them.

“Yes,” the supervisor replied to the unspoken question. “She was an angel of death once too. Twenty years ago, she accidently touched a small child and stole a portion of her soul. Finding out the truth, Vermouth decided to turn human.”

Shinichi wrinkled his eyebrows slightly, so he had been right when he had suspected her to be something ethereal. Even in the face of death, she had not seemed to have regretted her actions, trading an immortal life for a brief human one. “What happened to her? The girl I mean.”

Yuusaku and Yukiko shared another look – and by now Shinichi realized they had a silent conversation between them that he was not allowed to be privy to, and a foreboding feeling settled across his shoulders. He would not like the answer to his question.

“She became an FBI agent and spent her life trying to track down Vermouth – unwittingly trying to reconcile with the missing piece of her soul,” the muse finally replied, her lips twitching downwards in sadness of not having a satisfying answer for him. “Souls always want to be whole.”

Shinichi sighed in defeat, he knew what his only viable option was. He couldn’t on good faith force Kaito to live with the aching feeling of missing something. It would be cruel of him to love the magician and still keep the soul. He had never had an option to be human and live happily – the guilt would be overwhelming.

He clutched Pandora in his hand, letting the sharp edges of the stone dig into his skin – for a moment, he wanted to refuse to take an action, wished he could have continued existing without knowing any of this. However, he had kept Kaito for too long and he knew it. Their time together had always been numbered from the first day that they had met.

With a shaking hand, he slowly reached his hand out towards Yukiko, his eyes sad and desperate and his wings beat wildly behind his as though they were trying to stop him. Swallowing down thickly, he could not keep the regret and sorrow as he spoke.

“There was only ever one option, wasn’t it?”

Yukiko nodded, not daring to speak – nor did she have a reply he would have like to hear as she cupped her hands waiting for him to drop the stone. Her eyes were dimmed with sadness that he had to choose, however the way her soul hummed told him she thought he was doing the correct thing – no matter how much it hurt.

“This whole thing was hopeless from the start,” he continued, now that he had started, he could not stop his words from spilling from his lips. “I just wanted to feel something, you know. To feel anything other than empty indifference to my existence. I want to embrace something, feel skin against skin and taste life.”

His voice croaked, however his companions did not try to stop the onslaught of emotions waving through him. And for a moment, he almost felt their sad jealousy – perhaps he was not the only one.

This whole thing seemed cruelly unfair. The desire to be human, the temptation of accepting, only existed due to the piece of soul he had unwittingly stolen. Yet, with a mortal soul, also came a human’s capability to have a conscience and feel guilt. It was a terrible paradox, and he had been the unfortunate victim. He did not know or understand how Vermouth had been able to accept the deal – he only knew he could not.

“I just wanted to be happy. But we are not allowed; that’s the curse of immortality.”

He dropped the stone into her hand and his arm fell limply as though he had no power to keep it up. He let his head fall backwards as he stared up at the whiteness above him. His eyes burned with unshed tears, and he almost wished it was raining, if only for the illusion that the tears were his.

“ _Goodbye Kaito.”_

…

It was the noise that woke him, and for a long few minutes he listened to the soft hum from the machines and the pitter-patter of the rain against the window. On the chair next to the bed came the soft ruffling of movements and murmur of sleep.

His chest rattled a little as he breathed, and his nose itched from the oxygen tube in his nose. Kaito opened his eyes slowly as sleep drained from his mind, and was met with the familiar dim lights of the hospital room – in the chair, slumbering peacefully, was on of his grandchildren. No matter how many times he told them sternly it wasn’t necessary, they had all decided to take shifts, never leaving him alone but for the minute or two he struggled to the bathroom.

It did not take him long to realize that neither of those sounds were the noise that had woken him as he heard it again. It was a soft sound, like something between the chimes of bells and the fluttering of feathers. More a sensation than anything audible, and easily forgotten in the belief you had misheard.

However, Kaito had never forgotten the sound – he had chased after the imaginary echo for over half a century – and for a moment his heart ceased to beat in his chest as he slowly turned his head. All the oxygen in his lungs escaped as he exhaled deeply in surprise.

“Shinichi –“ he uttered before his brain had connected the image. Shinichi looked just as he had always done, not aged a single day – not that Kaito had expected anything else. He still wore a dark blue vest above a white shirt. His coat was an undistinguishable shade of blue, like the sky as it went from dawn to day. Around his neck, he still wore the dove-tie Kaito had once gifted him.

The magician almost laughed at the ridiculous sight – he had bought it as a gag, almost expecting the angel to refuse it. Instead, Shinichi had looked at it in wonder, as though he had been given a treasure.

“Hello Kaito,” Shinichi replied with a soft expression. Although his voice was as melodic as the chimes of bells, it seemed a bit rougher than usual – like the first time they had spoken. Only in hindsight had Kaito realized it was due to the angel being unused to speaking. The thief could not take his gaze of his companion’s face as he mapped every facial feature to memory – his skin was smooth like porcelain, and lips both thin and voluptuous as though it had been crafted with a sculpture’s tools.

Shinichi’s whole demeanour had always been painfully perfect – and the knowledge that he was a divine creature came as a less surprise than it should have. His wings were not visible, and the magician kind of wished he was able to see them – last time he had been a bit preoccupied with shock and dying.

“It’s good to see you again,” he spoke the truth with a fond smile curling on his lips. He wondered what he looked like in comparison: a frail, old man in a hospital gown a bit too large on his thin frame. His hair was a white mess – he could not remember the last time he truly bathed, having lacked the energy to even get out of bed lately. “I’d get up, but I’m afraid I’m a little indisposed at the moment.”

Shinichi’s lips twitched for a moment, “no need for such gallantry. We have gotten too old to bother wasting time with that.”

Kaito snorted softly, “at least you don’t show your age.”

The angel ruffled a hand through his hair, as a thread of amusement flickered in his eyes. “If I did, I’d be nothing more than dust.”

He could not help the soft chuckle vibrating in his chest, and the laughter chased away the pain for a brief moment. “What happened to you, _Shinichi_?” he pronounced the name softly, the distinction between the old nickname ‘detective’ clear. The few times he had been able to speak the name loudly, Shinichi’s expression had always fluttered with surprise – as though being identified with a name was something sacred and important to him.

This time, however, the angel’s expression did not change – his eyes seemed a little glassy, as though he was peering at something far beyond Kaito’s understanding. Although his face followed the emotions, his eyes never changed. The thief’s chest clenched a little painful at that. What had happened to his friend over the past sixty years?

“Served my punishment for saving you.”

When he did not elaborate any further, Kaito’s stomach sunk a little further in guilt. He had quickly realized that Shinichi had done something he shouldn’t have when the angel had vanished in a flash of light in front of his very eyes with an expression of fear and pain. He had waited for his return for years, hoping just for a sign that he was alright and alive.

“Was it that cruel?” he asked, unable to mask the remorse in his voice.

Shinichi must have noticed his pained expression, as he stepped forwards to the bed. His hands twitched a little, and Kaito wondered if he was yearning to reach out and touch him – or perhaps that was just wistful thinking. “It was worth it.”

Kaito almost snorted in disbelief, and he shook his head slightly. “I never got the chance to thank you for saving me.”

This time, the angel seemed to soften as a glimmer of life brightened his eyes for a moment with affection. “The only gratitude I need is this: tell me, were you happy?”

The ex-thief’s chest fluttered in surprise as something warmth blossomed. He opened his mouth to reply, before closing it slightly. He’d had his hardship in life – having his father’s die at an early age, taking over the mantle and being shot. However, he had met Shinichi, fallen in love with the ridiculous angel, then lost him in the flash of an eye. He had grieved the loss, however he had still had lots of amazing friends, he had gotten married with an amazing woman, gotten kids and grandchildren. Become a famous magician and had many adventures. All in all, he had lived a life without regret.

“Yes,” he replied after a long, pregnant pause, his face portraying his wonderment at the realization. He had never considered it before, never looked back on his life and thought ‘I had a good life’. He was suddenly reminded of an old Greek text he had once heard; where you could only know if you had lived a blissful life when you accumulated all your memories after your death.

“I’m glad,” Shinichi replied, seemingly having read the magician’s mind.

A moment of silence fell over them as they gazed at each other. It was not an awkward silence, rather a companion comfort. Pain suddenly spread across Kaito’s insides, and he stifled a cough that left him wobbling slightly on the bed. Even inhaling took an effort when his lungs seemed to pulsate harder than his chest.

“I’m sorry to say I cheated on you,” he mumbled in almost a rush, desperate to be distracted from the pain. At the confusion on the angel’s face, he continued with an almost rueful expression. “I got married with an amazing woman. I’m sure the two of you would have gotten along well.”

The confusion drained from Shinichi and morphed into flicker of amusement as he remembered the conversation. “Anyone who is acquainted with you would I’m sure: if only to bond over discussing how ridiculous you are.”

“Oy,” he protested, however he could not force his smile away,” if I’m ridiculous, then you are impossible.”

“Not impossible,” the angel replied smoothly without missing a beat. “Just improbable.”

This time, Kaito could not stifle the laugher that wavered through him no matter how much it hurt. “Oh you – I completely forgot,” he wheezed out between chuckles, “you haven’t changed one bit, have you?”

“The curse of immortality I’m afraid. Very little does change in the grand scheme of things.”

The amusement ebbed at Shinichi’s words, “true enough.” He sought his expression for a quiet moment, before he continued after licking his lips. “You are a year early.”

 Shinichi’s eyebrow creased a little in confusion, “what do you mean?”

“You said I’d die at the age of 85 surrounded by my grandkids. I’m only eighty-four.”

The angel’s face contorted almost painfully as though he was trying and failing to understand the flood of emotions wavering through him – Kaito was familiar with the expression, and he almost winced internally at the poorly worded joke. “I – sorry.”

“I figured that’s why I’d see you again,” he replied with a soothing voice to show he meant no ill with his words. “I’m glad its you.”

Shinichi’s eyes flickered downwards in what Kaito could only describe as guilt. “Are you sure? “ he seemed hesitant, as though he was unsure to share a titbit of information. “When an angel reap a human soul, we get a glimpse of your last thoughts, and the memories of your life –“

“I’m alright with that,” he cut him off with a fond smile, all the while his heart seemed to do the impossible as it fluttered in his chest as though he was still a teenager. He had searched for Shinichi for so long – at one point he had been able to track down a detective in Osaka who had also come into contact with the angel. A Hattori Heiji. They had only spoken together once as they shared their memories of him – Hattori clearly did not know the truth about his identity, and the magician had never revealed it either. Even if he had, the detective would probably think he was mad.

“I don’t mind sharing my life with you, if that’s alright. Its rather poetic, don’t you think? You have forever to experience life a millionth time from the dead’s memories. Someone to record their life and remember who they were. I like the thought of having someone with me when I die.”

Shinichi’s eyes had widened as Kaito had spoken, and his mouth opened slightly in awe. Emotions flickered across his eyes for the first time, far more than the magician could ever hope to comprehend. “I’ve never considered it like that before. It would be an honour to stay by your side to the bitter end.”

Kaito couldn’t help but grin at the choice of words as amusement bubbled in his throat. “I’ve missed our chats.”

“As have I,” the angel replied with an affectionate hum – and the thief could not help for the small glee he felt knowing that an immortal being cared for him so deeply.

“I only have one regret in life, really,” Kaito started to say, before his chest rippled with violate aching as he coughed deeply. Something rattled painfully in his chest, and as he tried to inhale, the air seemed to be impossible thin as it clumped in his raw throat. For a moment the room spun as black spots flashed across his eyes.

He vaguely heard the ruffling of fabric as someone moved, followed by a voice speaking as though from a distance away. “Grampa?” he more saw than felt as someone grabbed his hand, however he did not turn to face his grandchild as his eyes were glued on the angel on the other side of the bed.

“What is it?” Shinichi’s voice was the only audible thing to his hears as everything else drowned out to a static. He wore an open and curious expression, and behind his shoulder blades Kaito could see a shimmering in the air.

“I never got to kiss you,” he managed to gasp out, wondering if his words were even comprehensible. Shinichi seemed to have understood him, as his cheeks suddenly flustered as his eyes lowered again as he looked almost shily at the magician underneath his eyelashes.

Kaito’s heart did impossible things in his chest at the reaction – and if he hadn’t known better, he would have been certain he was having a heart-attack. He had always felt a flood of ridiculous things whenever Shinichi was around, as though he ached to be closer – and the feelings had not changed one bit for over half a century.

He had loved many things over the years – and he truly had loved his wife – however in the presence of Shinichi all that drowned out with an aching feeling of affection.

“Oh,” the angel muttered as though he had been completely surprised at the revelation and was uncertain how to respond. He looked almost guilty over his shoulder before approaching the bed completely. Without hesitating, he leaned over Kaito – who stopped breathing altogether at the closeness.

Warmth flooded through him again, and for a moment he thought he could feel energy sparkle between them. He could count Shinichi’s eyelashes: they were so close, before he had time to react, there were suddenly soft lips against his, and he both leaned into the embrace as he exhaled his very last breath against the lips.

The dark spots on his vision suddenly devoured all lights and he felt all the muscle in his body relax. The only thing he could see – or rather it was more of a sensation – was a glowing red that seemed to stretch forever across the horizon.

Kaito’s life might not have gone as expected, however he could truly say with a straight face right at this very moment, with the soft pressure of lips against his, and the closure of knowing Shinichi was fine, that he had lived a happy and completed life.

…

**_They say: if you love someone, let them go. I’ve never really been fond of this phrasing. I think its better to say: “sometimes, the greatest act of love, is letting them live happy without you.”_ **

**_Happy Valentine’s day,_ **

**_Until next time,_ **

**_Yours,_ **

**_-Cesela._ **


End file.
